Former Pakistani ISI Chief Faiz Hameed Charged with Political Involvement

Former Pakistani ISI Chief Faiz Hameed Charged with Political Involvement

The former head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General (ret.) Faiz Hameed, has been formally charged with involvement in political activities. The Pakistan Army announced this in a press release on Tuesday, December 10. This is a significant step against one of the most influential figures in Pakistan, second only to the Army Chief.

Faiz Hameed was arrested in August after a businessman, Moez Khan, accused him of corruption and misuse of office. Moez Khan alleged that Pakistan Rangers and ISI officials raided his home and office, seizing cash and jewelry, and later pressured Hameed to provide him with 400 tolas of gold and cash to resolve his issues.

A more serious accusation against the former ISI chief is his alleged involvement in the violence triggered by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s supporters on May 9, 2023. After Imran Khan’s ousting, his supporters attacked military bases and other military establishments across the country, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and the residences of corps commanders. Faiz Hameed has been accused of being "linked to political interests and involved in activities detrimental to the state’s security and interests."

The army’s statement said, “Faiz Hameed has been formally charged with misuse of public office, involvement in political activities, and harming the state’s interests. Additionally, his involvement in the violence of May 9 and his collaboration with political interests is being investigated separately.”

This has created a major crisis in Pakistan’s political and military spheres, where Imran Khan and his supporters have had long-standing tensions with the military.