ISLAMABAD: Former director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, has formally challenged his conviction and sentence after his legal team confirmed that an appeal has been filed against the verdict of a military court.
On Monday, Hameed’s lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, confirmed that the appeal had been submitted within the stipulated time but did not disclose further details about the grounds or arguments raised. Under Pakistani military law, a convicted officer has a limited period to challenge a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) ruling, and Hameed exercised this right within the 40-day window provided by Section 133B of the Pakistan Army Act.
Faiz Hameed was sentenced on December 11 to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment after being found guilty on four charges. These included violations of secrecy laws, involvement in political activities after service, misuse of authority, and actions that allegedly caused harm and wrongful loss to others. The verdict followed lengthy proceedings that, according to the military’s media wing, lasted over 15 months.
As per procedure, the appeal will first be reviewed by a military Court of Appeals, which is headed by a serving major general or a higher-ranking officer appointed by the army chief. Following this review, the army chief holds the authority to uphold, reduce, revise, or overturn the sentence. Historically, such appeals within the military justice system have taken years to conclude.
In its December statement announcing the conviction, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the FGCM process against Hameed began on August 12, 2024. The statement referred to him as “Mr Faiz Hameed, formerly a lieutenant general,” prompting speculation that he may have been stripped of his rank. However, ISPR did not officially confirm this, and sources familiar with internal procedures noted that any withdrawal of rank requires a separate administrative order.
Faiz Hameed, who retired in November 2022, is a rare case in Pakistan’s military history. He is the first former ISI chief and only the second three-star general to be tried, convicted, and sentenced by a military court.
The case traces back to allegations made by property developer Kanwar Moeez Khan, who accused Hameed of orchestrating a raid on his home and offices in 2017, seizing valuables and coercing him into paying Rs40 million and financing a private television channel. The matter resurfaced years later when the Supreme Court advised the complainant to pursue the issue through the defence ministry, leading to a formal inquiry.
A Court of Inquiry convened in April 2024 found sufficient grounds for court martial proceedings. Hameed was arrested in August and served a detailed charge sheet covering post-retirement political involvement, Official Secrets Act violations, misuse of authority, and coercive actions causing financial loss.
The investigation was also expanded to include several retired officers, though the military court’s verdict did not clarify the outcomes related to them. The appeal now marks the next phase in a high-profile case that continues to draw national attention due to its legal, political, and institutional implications.
