Who Is Faiz Hameed? Ex-ISI Chief Who Once Plotted Attacks Against India, Now Facing Court Martial

The Pakistan Army on Monday announced that it has arrested former ISI chief Lt Gen (retd.) Faiz Hameed and initiated court martial proceedings against him in connection with a housing scheme scandal, news agency PTI reported. "Complying with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, a detailed court of inquiry was undertaken by Pakistan Army, to ascertain correctness of complaints in Top City Case made against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd),” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - the media wing of the army- said in a statement.

"Consequently, appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated against Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd.), under provisions of the Pakistan Army Act," it said. "In addition, multiple instances of violation of the Pakistan Army Act post-retirement have also been established. The process of Field General Court Martial has been initiated and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (Retd) has been taken into military custody," it added.

Who Is Faiz Hameed?

Lt Gen (retd.) Hameed was regarded as extremely influential during his tenure as the head of the spy agency from 2019 to 2021. He was appointed to this prestigious position after the then ISI chief and now Army chief, Lt Gen Asim Munir, was removed prematurely. Reports suggested that the then Prime Minister Imran Khan was dissatisfied with Munir.

Subsequently, the army's decision to replace Hameed was strongly opposed by Imran Khan, marking what is believed to be the start of the deterioration of his relationship with the powerful military.

Hameed, a known critic of India, was deemed very close to the then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, who had intentions of naming him the next Army chief. He has masterminded many attacks on India during his tenure as the ISI chief, sources said.

Faiz Hameed rose to fame for facilitating a truce between Sirajuddin Haqqani of the Haqqani network and the Taliban, led by Mullah Yakub.

Most notably, during his time as the chief spymaster, he witnessed the Taliban's ascension in Afghanistan and the strategic withdrawal of the United States on August 15, 2021. It is widely believed that the ISI, under his leadership, supported the Taliban's advance to Kabul and their eventual seizure of power.

Hameed opted for early retirement in November 2022, four months before his scheduled retirement, following the appointment of the new army chief. He was known to be close to the then Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa.

The role of ISI chief is one of the most significant within the Pakistan Army, which has governed the country for over half of its more than 76 years of existence and has traditionally exercised significant influence over security and foreign policy matters.

Why Ex-ISIS Chief Is Facing Court Martial?

The Top City case garnered media attention when Moeez Ahmed Khan, owner of Top City, lodged a petition in the Supreme Court on November 8, 2023, alleging misuse of power by Hameed. 

In his petition, Khan detailed that on May 12, 2017, ISI officials, purportedly under Gen Hameed's orders, raided the Top City office and his residence, confiscating valuables such as gold, diamonds, and cash. He further claimed that Sardar Najaf, Hameed's brother, later approached him for a resolution. Additionally, the petition included an encounter where Gen Hameed personally met with him regarding the matter. Khan accused the ISI officials of coercing him into handing over Rs 4 crore in cash.

The Supreme Court's three-judge bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Attar Minullah, and Justice Aminuddin, reviewed the case and referred it to the Ministry of Defence for further investigation. Subsequently, in April of the same year, the army formed a high-level inquiry committee, led by a major general, to examine the allegations.