Pakistan’s Ex-ISI Chief Faiz Hameed Appeals 14-Year Sentence Handed Down by Military Court
Pakistan’s former intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. (retired) Faiz Hameed, has filed an appeal against a 14-year prison sentence imposed by a military court, his lawyer confirmed on Sunday, marking a rare and consequential case involving a former head of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.
Hameed was arrested in August 2024 over allegations of land grabbing and coercive seizure of property linked to the Top City housing project near Islamabad. The military later said investigations also uncovered multiple violations of the Pakistan Army Act committed after his retirement, leading to court-martial proceedings.
On December 11, the military announced that Hameed had been convicted on charges including engaging in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act, misusing authority, and abusing government resources during his tenure as ISI chief.
“We have filed an appeal against the sentence awarded to Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed by the military court,” his counsel, Mian Ali Ashfaq, told the international media. He said the appeal was submitted to the Registrar Court of Appeals, AG Branch, under the Chief of Army Staff, but declined to provide further details.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, Hameed was tried on four counts: political interference, breaches of the Official Secrets Act, misuse of authority, and causing “wrongful loss to persons.”
“After lengthy and laborious legal proceedings, the accused has been found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment,” the ISPR said in a statement dated December 11, adding that the verdict was formally promulgated the same day.
Hameed served as ISI director-general from 2019 to 2021. His conviction is widely seen as exceptional in Pakistan, where the military has ruled for nearly half of the country’s history and continues to wield considerable influence even under civilian governments.
The former spy chief has long been viewed as politically influential and was widely perceived as close to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, both during Khan’s time in office and after his ouster through a no-confidence vote in 2022.
The military has previously accused Hameed of playing a role in stoking political unrest during violent nationwide protests on May 9, 2023, which erupted after Khan’s brief arrest on corruption charges. During the unrest, protesters attacked and set fire to government and military installations. Authorities alleged the violence was orchestrated “at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests.” Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023, denies directing the attacks and says the cases against him are politically motivated.
