The conviction of Lt Gen Faiz Hameed (retd) is an extraordinary event in Pakistan’s civil-military history. Yet, its significance cannot be understood without situating it within the broader political context. On the surface, a former ISI chief receiving a 14-year sentence after a 15-month Field General Court Martial under the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act signals a rare assertion of accountability at the very top of the military hierarchy. That a retired three-star general has been formally punished for breaches of discipline, misuse of authority, political engagement, and mishandling classified information is unprecedented. Symbolically, it appears to challenge the long-standing perception that intelligence chiefs are untouchable power brokers.

Yet symbolism alone risks obscuring the limits and timing of this verdict. The case stems from the Top City housing society dispute, a narrow set of allegations concerning unlawful raids, seizure of valuables, and coercive financial practices. While serious, these charges do not encompass the broader patterns of influence, political intervention, and state manipulation that marked Hameed’s tenure. The military’s own statement reinforces this: allegations of fomenting political agitation remain under separate investigation. This is critical because it demonstrates that the conviction addresses only a fragment of his record while leaving politically sensitive matters unresolved.

While Pakistan’s military has, in the past, court-martialled one- to three-star generals, the conviction of a former DG ISI marks........

© The Friday Times