A military court in Pakistan has sentenced former intelligence chief Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison, marking an unprecedented move against a former rival of army chief Asim Munir. Hameed, who led the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2021 a post widely regarded as the country’s second most powerful military position was convicted on four counts, including engaging in political activities, misuse of power and government resources, and violations of the Official Secrets Act, according to a statement released Thursday by the Armed Forces. The statement offered no further specifics. Hameed’s lawyers were not immediately available for comment, and he retains the right to appeal.
Under former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Hameed was considered a potential candidate for the chief of army staff position until Khan’s government was ousted via a no-confidence vote in April 2022. Pakistan’s military has directly ruled the country for roughly half of its post-independence history, and its intelligence agencies, led by the ISI, continue to wield significant influence over domestic politics. Hameed had replaced Munir as ISI chief after Khan removed Munir in 2019, just eight months into his tenure. Munir subsequently became army chief in November 2022 and has consolidated power, emerging as Pakistan’s most dominant military figure since the end of Pervez Musharraf’s rule in 2008.
In May, Parliament granted Munir lifetime immunity and promoted him to Pakistan’s second-ever field marshal, giving him unified command over the three branches of the Armed Forces. Lawmakers also extended his term to 2030, with a possible additional five-year extension. Opposition leaders and human rights organizations have accused Munir and his allies of targeting political opponents, including figures aligned with Imran Khan. Ayesha Siddiqa, a senior fellow at King’s College London and author on Pakistan’s military economy, said, “This appears to be part of the broader campaign by Munir and his political partners to bring down Imran Khan and stifle his perceived allies.”
Hameed, who was arrested in August 2024, remains under investigation for further allegations, including claims that he “fomented” instability with political actors—a charge widely seen as linked to his ties with Khan. The former prime minister, imprisoned since 2023 on multiple charges, continues to enjoy significant public support despite being labeled a national security threat by the military. Hameed also faces a pending case related to a 2017 land development dispute, in which he is accused of ordering a raid on a housing society executive’s office. A November 2023 court order described the allegations as “extremely serious” and stated that, if proven, they would “undoubtedly undermine the reputation of the federal government, the Armed Forces, ISI, and Pakistan Rangers, and therefore cannot be left unattended.”
