A Pakistani military court has sentenced former inter-services intelligence (ISI) director general Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison after a 15-month-long court-martial on multiple charges, including political interference and violations of the official secrets act.
Officials said Hameed was provided full legal rights and representation during the proceedings. The Field General Court Martial, held under the Pakistan army act, found Hameed guilty on four counts – engaging in political activities, misuse of authority and state resources, violation of the official secrets act, and causing wrongful loss to individuals. The military did not identify who suffered such losses. He retains the right to appeal.
He added: “The decision signals the military leadership’s intent that no officer, regardless of rank, will be allowed to engage in politics, and Hameed’s case has been made an example for all retired officers. Hameed’s downfall marks a rare instance of a high-ranking former military official facing such a stiff sentence in Pakistan, where the army holds significant institutional influence and senior-level prosecutions are uncommon.
Hameed, once considered a close confidant of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan , had been detained in 2024 after an internal investigation linked to the Top City housing project near Islamabad.
Security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali told AP that the verdict followed “a lengthy investigation that gave the former ISI chief ample opportunity to defend himself.” Until Thursday’s announcement, neither the charges nor details of the probe had been formally disclosed by the government or the military.