By Nasir Aijaz
The AsiaN Representative
ISLAMABAD: The Field General Court Martial (FGCM) has sentenced former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Faiz Hamid to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment, said the Inter-Services Public Relations in a statement on Thursday.
The military’s media wing said that the process of the FGCM was initiated against Faiz Hamid, formerly lieutenant general, on August 12, 2024, under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act, spanning over 15 months.
“The accused was tried on four charges related to engaging in political activities, violation of the Official Secret Act, detrimental to the safety and interest of the state, misuse of authority and government resources and causing wrongful loss to persons.
“After lengthy and laborious legal proceedings, the accused has been found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 14 years rigorous imprisonment by the court, which has been promulgated on December 11, 2025,” the ISPR statement read.
It added that the “FGCM complied with all legal provisions and the accused was afforded with all legal rights, including rights of the defence team of his choice.”
“The convict has the right of appeal at the relevant forum,” it added.
“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 ISPR press release stated.
The former spy chief was taken into custody by the military on charges of abuse of power and violating the Army Act last year in August 2024.
Multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post-retirement had also been established against the former general, who also served as Peshawar Corps Commander
Who is Faiz Hamid?
Hamid, the first ex-ISI chief to face court martial, indictment and now sentence, made headlines after he played a vital role in an agreement signed between the government and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to end the 21-day sit-in at Faizabad in November 27, 2017. At the end of the agreement, it was written that the deal was inked “via Major General Faiz Hamid”.
He was later promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. After the 2018 general elections, PTI emerged as the single largest party and formed the government in the Centre. In 2019, then Prime Minister Imran Khan picked him as head of the premier intelligence agency — ISI.
He served as ISI chief for over two years.
After the Faizabad sit-in, fingers raised at the alleged “political role” of the then ISI officer. In the TLP sit-in case verdict, the top court ordered action against those officers involved in the matter.
In his tenure, allegations about interference in political affairs, violation of oath, political victimization, detentions of political rivals and pressure on them to change their loyalty were levelled against the ex-spymaster.
In his speeches to public gatherings, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also blamed the former ISI chief for his ouster and victimization of Imran’s political rivals.
The former general also came under criticism after his picture having tea at a hotel in Kabul, just three weeks after the Taliban regained power in the country, went viral on social media in August 2021.
The former DG ISI visited Kabul in 2021 to meet the Afghan Taliban representatives and discuss matters related to the safe evacuation of foreign nationals, border management and security in the region.
During the PTI’s tenure, Hamid also allegedly supported the Imran Khan-led government in passing key bills from parliament.
In 2017, then Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui accused the former DG ISI of influencing the court proceedings and forming benches of his choice to prolong the detention of former premier Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz.
