ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s former intelligence chief Lt. Gen. (ret.) Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment by a military court after being found guilty of engaging in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act and misusing authority and government resources, the Pakistan Army said on Thursday.
Hameed, one of the most influential officers of his generation, served as director-general of Pakistan’s powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from 2019 to 2021. His conviction is highly unusual in a country where the military has ruled for almost half its history and continues to exert significant influence during civilian rule.
Hameed was arrested in August 2024 amid accusations he was involved in land grabbing and coercive seizures of property belonging to the owner of the Top City housing development near Islamabad. At the time, the military said multiple violations of the Pakistan Army Act after his retirement had also been established, prompting court martial proceedings.
In its latest statement, the military said Hameed was tried on four charges relating to political interference, breaches of the Official Secrets Act, misuse of authority and causing “wrongful loss to persons.”
“After lengthy and laborious legal proceedings, accused has been found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment by the Court which has been promulgated on 11 December 2025,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Hameed’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, said he learned about the verdict through media reports rather than through official court communication.
“We found out from the ISPR [Inter-Service Public Relations] press release and news reports,” he told Arab News. “We do not know whether the verdict was announced in court or not.”
“The first thing we will do is apply to obtain a copy of the verdict, and after that, we will file an appeal against the decision in the appropriate forum,” Ashfaq added.
The military said the trial complied with all legal requirements, adding that Hameed was given full rights, including the ability to choose his defense team, and retains the right to appeal “at the relevant forum.”
ISPR added that his alleged role in “fomenting vested political agitation and instability in cahoots with political elements” was being handled separately, leading to speculation about more inquiries and legal cases.
KHAN CONNECTION
The military has previously accused Hameed of helping engineer political unrest during violent clashes on May 9, 2023, when supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan rioted nationwide after his brief arrest on graft charges. Protesters were accused of torching government and military buildings “at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests.” Khan, jailed since August 2023 on charges he says are politically motivated, denies ordering the attacks.
Hameed was widely seen as close to Khan when he was PM and after his removal in a no-trust vote in 2022.
Speaking to Pakistani news channel Geo News after the announcement of the verdict, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Hameed had acted as a “political adviser” to Khan after his retirement despite being legally barred from political involvement.
“This is a landmark decision and I think the rule of law and accountability mechanism has been strengthened,” Tarar said.
Hameed’s prosecution stems partly from a petition filed by Moeez Ahmed Khan, owner of the Top City housing society, who accused the retired general of directing raids on his home and offices, coercing business transfers and orchestrating intimidation. On Supreme Court orders, the army conducted a detailed inquiry ahead of initiating court martial proceedings, it says.
After Hameed’s arrest, the military also detained three other retired officers in connection with the case.
Senior military officers are rarely investigated or convicted in Pakistan, where the security establishment plays an outsized role in politics and national governance. The sentencing comes just days after Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was appointed as Pakistan’s first chief of defense forces, marking a major restructuring of the military command.
Hameed, who retired in December 2022, has long been a polarizing figure. The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also accuses him of helping engineer the 2017 removal of Nawaz Sharif through court cases that culminated in Sharif’s disqualification. Hameed denied the allegations.
