By P.K.Balachandran

Colombo, December 15 – On Thursday, December 11, the former head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Gen. Faiz Hameed was sentenced to 14 years Rigorous Imprisonment by a military court for corruption, manipulating politicians and fomenting civil unrest. The sentence was a landmark in Pakistan’s history because it was the first time that a former chief of military intelligence was tried and convicted.  

Done after a 15-month trial, Hameed’s sentencing and imprisonment has many implications for the politics of Pakistan. It enhances the political standing of the current ruling clan, namely, the Sharif brothers (Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the head of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Part, Nawaz Sharif). It puts the Sherifs at a decided advantage over their implacable political rival Imran Khan, the jailed opposition leader. It cements the Sharifs’ relationship with the Pakistan military which is called “The Establishment”. And that sends out a clear signal to Imran Khan that there is no chance of his being released from prison anytime soon.

Above all, the sentencing of Gen.Faiz Hameed underscores and reiterates the military’s dominance over Pakistan’s civilian polity. Since the mid-fifties, the military has ruled Pakistan either directly or indirectly by determining which civilian political group will be in office and which will not be. Politicians come to power with the military’s support and lose power if they fall out with it.

With the jailing of Gen. Hameed and the continued incarceration of Imran Khan, the Sharif clan has cemented its relations also with the current army chief and chief of all defence forces, the tough Field Marshal Asim Munir, who also happens to be an implacable opponent of Imran Khan. 

The Sharif brothers and Field Marshal Munir want Imran Khan to be in prison as the popular leader’s release will only result in mass agitations against them for high corruption and for destabilizing elected governments.      

Gen. Hameed’s alleged relationship with Imran Khan when the latter was Prime Minister and his role in political engineering had earned the wrath of the Sharifs and their backers in the military. Hameed is widely believed to have manipulated the 2018 general elections to favour Imran Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI). He was also seen as the architect of the PTI government’s security and political strategies.

It was said that the May 9, 2023 riots which followed Imran Khan’s arrest, were engineered by Gen, Hameed. He is said to have personally overseen a campaign to control the national media, including multiple attempts to force the English daily “Dawn” to capitulate.

Hameed is also accused of using the ISI to raid and extort a real estate project near Islamabad, in which he had allegedly demanded a stake. This is what prompted the probe against him initially.

When he was finally sentenced to a 14-year jail term it emerged that he had been convicted on four counts related to violating secrecy laws, engaging in political activities, and misusing his position.

The government handout also noted that Hameed could face further sentencing for fomenting political unrest in collusion with politicians. “Involvement of the convict in fomenting vested political agitation and instability in cohorts with political elements and in certain other matters is separately being dealt with,” the statement said, offering no details.

A statement released at the time of Hameed’s detention in 2024 alleged that “multiple instances of violation of Pakistan Army Act post-retirement have also been established.”

Hameed was taken into military custody on August 12, 2024 and produced before a military court to face trial in the “Top City Housing Scheme” scandal. The Shehbaz Sharif government hailed the military’s decision to initiate court-martial proceedings against the former spymaster for his alleged involvement in victimising the owner of the Top City Housing Society. On August 17, 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar revealed that Hameed had apologised to him for victimising him.

On August 22, 2024 PTI founder Imran Khan called for an open trial of Hameed, terming the arrest a ‘drama’ and claimed that Hameed’s open trial would expose the ‘regime change operation’. Imran also said that the proceedings should be open to the public.

On September 5, 2024, Inter Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that court martial proceedings against Hameed had been initiated based on “concrete evidence” following a detailed probe.

On February 13, 2025, The Awami National Party (ANP) leader and former Chief Minister of Khyber Pakthunkwa province Ameer Haider Khan Hoti stated that before the Top City inquiry, Hameed should be held accountable for actions that led to the “loss of Pashtun lives.”

On December 11, 2025 Hameed was sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment.

“The armed forces’ accountability mechanism must be praised for delivering strict justice; it is also hoped that it will be applied to all equally and that it will be applied consistently,” the daily “Dawn” said in an editorial. This is certainly not the first time that Hameed has been accused of political manipulation, both pre and post-retirement, the daily added.  

“Hameed came into the limelight for his role as a guarantor in the 2017 Faizabad agreement, a controversial deal between the government and Tehrik-Labaik Pakistan (TLP) protesters that ended a weeks-long sit-in in Islamabad. TLP is an extremist Islamic organisation.

While the PTI was in power, Hameed quickly made room for himself in the then-PM’s “kitchen cabinet”. By some accounts, he became quite close to both Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi. In 2020, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had publicly accused Hameed and his former boss, Army chief Gen Javed Qamar Bajwa, of orchestrating his ouster. The most direct accusation from Nawaz Sharif came during a rally in Gujranwala: “Gen Faiz, this is done with your hands and you need to answer,” he roared.

In late 2022, a viral video showed the retired Hameed in conversation with a PTI leader. The leader praised him and invited him to enter politics. Hameed however denied having any plan to enter politics.

Then came the case of his brother Najaf Hameed, who was arrested on corruption and bribery charges in March 2024. The case against him included charges of bribery, misuse of authority, and causing losses to the national exchequer. Najaf Hameed had become a powerful figure during his brother’s tenure as the ISI chief.

About Hameeds’ potential involvement in the May 9 riots, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the “evidence and circumstances” pointed toward his participation. “He might have provided logistics and used his experience to guide actions aimed at causing greater damage,” Asif said.

Although the government press release had avoided naming any political party or leader, its repeated references to actions taken “at the behest of and in collusion with political elements” have been widely interpreted as alluding to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.

The military has not said when the separate investigations mentioned in the statement would conclude, nor whether additional charges will be brought against the former intelligence chief.

But what is certain is that the ordeal of a lengthy trial and incarceration is not over for Hameed. As a military prisoner, Hameed would be held in a military facility. But in case he is lodged in Adiala jail, he will be having the company of his former protégé, Imran Khan, and his wife and spiritual advisor, Bushra Bibi.

END