Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed served as the Director of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021, during the Imran Khan government.
Imran Khan is also currently imprisoned in Pakistan. Faiz Hameed was considered a staunch supporter of Imran Khan, and he took early retirement shortly after Khan was removed from power in a no-confidence vote in 2022.
This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that an ISI chief has been court-martialed. In Pakistan, the ISI chief is considered the second most powerful position in the Pakistani Army.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistani Army, the court-martial proceedings, which lasted 15 months, began on August 12, 2024, under the Pakistan Army Act.
Former ISI chief Faiz Hameed faced four main charges, including “involvement in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act causing harm to state interests, misuse of power and government resources, and causing harm to citizens.” The statement said that Hameed was given “the right to have a defence team of his choice” and has the right to appeal the decision in the “appropriate forum,” which would be the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Detailed and precise information about the entire case is not publicly available because the hearing was held behind closed doors in a military court.
The statement added that the case concerning Hameed’s alleged role in inciting political unrest and instability is separate and is being dealt with separately. It is understood that this relates to allegations of Hameed’s involvement in the protests against Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9, 2023.
