On Monday, Pakistan’s military announced the detention of the country’s former spy chief, retired General Faiz Hameed, and the initiation of court-martial proceedings against him on charges including abuse of office, corruption, and breaches of army regulations.
Hameed, who led the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from 2019 to 2022, is a rare case of a high-ranking military official being arrested in Pakistan, where the military has ruled for over 30 years since the country’s independence in 1947 and remains highly influential.
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The ISI chief is considered the second most powerful military figure in Pakistan after the army chief. The military’s statement on Monday said the arrest followed a Supreme Court-ordered inquiry that found “multiple instances of violations of the Pakistan Army Act” after Hameed’s retirement.
“The process of Field General Court Martial has been initiated, and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been taken into military custody,” the statement read, without detailing the specific violations.
Attempts to contact Hameed for comment were unsuccessful, as the military prohibits access to officers in custody, particularly those facing court martial.
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During his time as ISI chief, Hameed was frequently mentioned in local media for his alleged involvement in national politics and influence over journalists. He gained international attention when he was photographed in the lobby of a Kabul hotel in August 2021, shortly after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S.-led Western forces.
Throughout the conflict in Afghanistan, Washington and its allies had often accused the ISI of providing sanctuary and covert support to Taliban leaders, enabling them to orchestrate attacks from Pakistan against international forces in Afghanistan.
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Hameed was reportedly close to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who appointed him as ISI chief during his tenure. Khan was removed from office in 2022 through a parliamentary vote of no confidence, which he claims was orchestrated by the military, allegations that the army denies.
Khan’s aides had previously reported disputes between him and the military over Hameed’s role as ISI chief, as Khan wanted to keep him in the position.
Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, remarked on X (formerly Twitter) that Pakistan’s decision to court-martial a former intelligence chief was a significant and unprecedented step. He noted that given the current political context, it is difficult to separate this development from Hameed’s known ties to Imran Khan.
Since his removal from power, Khan has faced numerous legal challenges, including charges of corruption, sedition, and incitement of violence against military installations—charges he dismisses as baseless and politically motivated. Despite being the most popular politician in Pakistan, Khan, now 71, was jailed a year ago following a controversial conviction in a corruption case. Although appellate courts have since overturned or suspended his convictions due to insufficient evidence, authorities have promptly filed new cases to keep him in custody.