Pakistan military sentences former spy chief Faiz Hamid to 14 years in prison

Pakistan’s former spy chief has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a military court on charges including violating state secrets and interfering in politics.

Faiz Hameed led Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from 2019 to 2021, during the tenure of now-jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He was known to be a staunch supporter of Khan and retired early in 2022, shortly after Khan was ousted in a vote of no confidence.

This is the first time that the head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency has been tried by a military court. His lawyer said he planned to appeal the verdict.

The ISI chief is considered the second most powerful position in the Pakistani military.

According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Army Public Relations (ISPR), the 15-month court martial proceedings under the Pakistan Army Act began on August 12, 2024.

Hamid is on trial on four counts, including “engaging in political activities, breaching the Official Secrets Act, damaging national interests, abusing power and government resources and causing harm to citizens”.

The ISPR statement added that Hamid was given “the right to have a defense team of his own choice” and that he had the right to appeal the decision in an “appropriate forum”, namely the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Specific details of the case have not been made public because the hearing was held behind closed doors in a court-martial.

Allegations that Hamid was involved in inciting political unrest and instability are being dealt with separately, the statement said.

Presumably, this is an allegation related to Hamid’s involvement in the May 9, 2023 protests in which Imran Khan was arrested.

Hamid’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, said his client was “1,000 percent innocent, but this is the court’s decision.”

“We were not aware of the judgment, only through a press release from ISPR. We are now applying to the relevant forums for a copy of the judgment,” he told the BBC.

“As soon as we receive it, it will be reviewed and an appeal will be filed immediately. Currently, the first appeal forum is the Chief of Army Staff, so that’s what we will do. We hope that at the next forum, we will be able to present our case and get justice.”