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Military court sentencing
A Field General Court Martial (FGCM) convened under the Pakistan Army Act sentenced retired Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, a former director general of the Inter‑Services Intelligence (ISI), to 14 years' rigorous imprisonment after finding him guilty on multiple counts.
“Former ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (retd) has been sentenced to 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM), the military’s media arm ISPR said. The sentence concludes a 15-month trial that began on August 12, 2024, under the Pakistan Army Act. Hameed was found guilty on four charges: engaging in political activities, violating the Official Secrets Act in ways deemed harmful to national security, misuse of authority and state resources, and causing wrongful loss to individuals. The ISPR described the proceedings as “lengthy and laborious.””
The military's media wing, the Inter‑Services Public Relations (ISPR), announced the conviction and said the proceedings began on August 12, 2024 and ran about 15 months before the sentence was promulgated on December 11, 2025.
Several outlets described the proceedings as lengthy and formal, and ISPR statements quoted in coverage stressed that legal procedures were observed.
Summary of reported charges
Coverage across outlets consistently lists four principal charges: engaging in political activities; violating the Official Secrets Act in ways described as harmful to state security; misuse or abuse of authority and government resources; and causing wrongful loss or harm to individuals.
Some reports use stricter national-security language—for example, Express Tribune quotes the Official Secrets Act breach as 'detrimental to the safety and interest of the state'—while other outlets list the counts without expanded phrasing.
Several articles note the military provided limited public detail on the specific acts underlying each charge.
Reporting on Hameed case
News accounts emphasize procedural and legal aspects: the ISPR repeatedly told media that Hameed was afforded legal rights, had chosen defence counsel, and retains the right to appeal the FGCM's decision.
“The ISPR said the trial followed military legal procedures, that Hameed had the right to choose his defence and may appeal, and that related issues of political instability were handled separately.”
Several outlets connect Hameed's detention and court-martial to a Supreme Court-linked inquiry and to the Top City housing-society petition that first triggered scrutiny in 2023–24; some reports name the petitioner (Kanwar Moeez Khan or the Top City CEO) and quote the Supreme Court calling the allegations "extremely serious."
Reporting on Hameed conviction
Reporting diverges on political framing and significance.
Multiple outlets highlight Hameed’s perceived closeness to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, and analysts described the conviction as a rare display of accountability within Pakistan’s military.
Other coverage stresses institutional tensions, factionalism, and the wider political turmoil since Khan’s removal.
Some pieces include government reactions; the Express Tribune quotes the Defence and Information Ministers welcoming the verdict and warning against abuse of power.
Others focus on the symbolic implications for civil-military relations.
Verdict and ongoing probes
Several outlets underline the precedent-setting nature of the verdict and note that separate inquiries continue.
“This is the first time a former ISI chief has been court-martialed and handed such a punishment.”
A number of reports label Hameed as the first former ISI chief to be court-martialed and convicted.
Many mention that the military said separate action over his alleged role in fomenting political agitation will continue, including probes tied to May 9 incidents and the Top City matter.
Coverage thus combines immediate verdict reporting with signals of ongoing investigations and wider institutional consequences.