According to a statement issued by the Pakistan Army, Hameed was found guilty on four serious charges, including violating the Official Secrets Act by participating in political activities and misusing state authority and resources, causing harm to individuals. The military said he has the right to file an appeal.
Hameed, viewed as a close confidant of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, was arrested on August 12 last year in connection with a housing scam following directives from the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The arrest set off an extensive internal inquiry that ultimately led to his court-martial.
Rise and Fall of a Powerful General
A retired lieutenant general, Faiz Hameed served as DG-ISI from 2019 to 2021, a period that coincided with Imran Khan’s tenure as prime minister. His influence in political and security affairs drew both domestic and international scrutiny.
Born in Chakwal’s Latifal village, Hameed joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1987 and was commissioned into the Baloch Regiment. He later graduated from the Command and Staff College, Quetta, rising through the ranks to take charge of Pakistan’s most powerful intelligence agency.
Kabul Visit That Sparked Global Attention
Hameed’s public image became a subject of international debate after the Taliban seized Kabul on August 15, 2021. Within weeks, he was seen in the Afghan capital—smiling, holding a cup of tea, and interacting with senior Taliban figures. The images, captured by a British journalist in the same hotel, went viral.
The visit was widely interpreted as a show of Pakistan’s strategic support to the Taliban, provoking unease within the Biden administration. Senior U.S. officials reportedly viewed the trip as an implicit celebration of Washington’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Removal from ISI and Aftermath
Following diplomatic pressure from the United States and the Pakistani military establishment, then-Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa pushed for Hameed’s removal. He was replaced as ISI chief barely a month after the Kabul trip.
Thursday’s sentencing represents a dramatic downfall for the once-influential general, whose tenure at the ISI was marked by both political clout and controversy. His conviction is expected to intensify debate over military accountability and the shifting power dynamics within Pakistan’s security apparatus.
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