Pakistan's former spy chief has been sentenced to 14 years in prison by a military court, on charges including violation of state secrets and interfering in politics.
Faiz Hameed led Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from 2019 to 2021, during the tenure of now-jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
He was known to be a staunch supporter of Khan, and took early retirement shortly after Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote in 2022.
This is the first time that an ISI chief in Pakistan has been court martialled. His lawyer said he plans to appeal against the verdict.
The ISI chief is seen as the second most powerful position in Pakistan's military.
According to a press release issued by the public relations arm of Pakistan's military (ISPR), the 15-month-long court martial proceeding began on August 12, 2024, under the Pakistan Army Act.
Hameed was tried on four charges, including involvement in political activities, violation of the Official Secrets Act harming state interests, and misuse of government resources.
The ISPR statement emphasized Hameed was allowed a defense team of his choice and has the right to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The case details remain private as the military court hearings were closed to the public.
Hameed's lawyer, Mian Ali Ashfaq, expressed confidence in his client's innocence and stated that they would pursue an immediate appeal as soon as they receive the judgment document.
