“No one is above the law”, journalists and politicians welcome the conviction of Faiz Hameed

Top political leaders and journalists on Thursday hailed the military court’s verdict against former ISI Lieutenant General (retd) Faiz Hameed as a “historic” development, terming it a clear affirmation that illegal activities would no longer go unchecked and terming the judgment a victory for truth and justice.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the decision demonstrated that the military’s system of self-accountability remained “extremely strong”, pointing out that Hameed had acted as a political advisor to the PTI and crossed red lines that warranted legal action.

“No one is above the law,” he said, adding that the decision was based on evidence recorded during the proceedings and that Hameed was given every opportunity to defend himself.

Read: Former ISI chief Faiz Hameed sentenced to 14 years in prison by military court

Tarar said Hameed abused his authority and was found guilty on all charges, including in the Top City case, adding that further investigations into political matters would continue. Reiterating his position, the minister said the verdict underlined the solidity of military accountability, again calling the outcome a “triumph of truth.”

The PPP verdict is “historic”

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also welcomed the decision, describing it as a historic judgment confirming Hameed’s involvement in illegal activities.

Speaking to reporters in Chiniot, he noted that while the verdict was important, several other cases against Hameed were still pending. He added that the former general would, however, have avenues of appeal.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, in an article on He prayed for wisdom and restraint in the use of power, saying those who rule must be guided by the fear of God.

Prominent journalist Kamran Khan wrote on

Political commentator Nadeem Farooq Paracha said Hameed used his position to cultivate a network of politicians, journalists and judges, saying the expectation of a “revolution” on May 9, 2023 was shaped by this network. “The system of establishment that he established has now been dismantled. How does the mighty fall,” he remarked.

Senior journalist Hamid Mir said Hameed dictated to the media while he was in uniform and tried to remove him from journalism. He added that he had been banned from television and newspapers for nine months. “He is now sentenced to 14 years in prison. Twenty-seven witnesses have appeared in his case. There are more to come,” he said.

Journalist Mubashir Zaidi called the former ISI chief’s life sentence for political involvement a “good start”, saying there should be no room for the army’s interference in political affairs.

Senator Faisal Vawda said the conviction against the former DG ISI is part of a long and ongoing legal process that “will not stop”, adding that the May 9 cases are still ongoing and the political party involved “can already see its fate written on the wall”.

Vawda said his earlier assertion had been proven correct that the former intelligence chief would be sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment rather than the death penalty. He added that the May 9 cases remain unresolved and involve incidents that he believes have caused damage to the state, politics, the justice system and democracy, including alleged attempts to control the media.

He said the verdict reinforces the principle that “no one is bigger than Pakistan” and marks the establishment of a clear precedent for accountability.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said Hameed was an employee of a public institution and any punishment imposed on him was an internal matter of that institution.

Commenting further, he reiterated that Hameed’s case was strictly an internal institutional matter and should be treated as such. He made the remarks after being arrested by Rawalpindi police at Dhamial check post while on his way to Adiala jail.

Military court sentences Faiz Hameed to 14 years in prison

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), retired Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed has been sentenced to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment. He was tried on four counts: participation in political activities, violations of the Official Secrets Act prejudicial to state security, abuse of government authority and resources, and unlawful harm to persons.

The ISPR said Hameed was found guilty on all counts after a lengthy legal process. The sentence, handed down on Thursday, followed a general field court-martial that began on August 12, 2024 under the Pakistan Army Act and continued for 15 months. The spokesperson said the defendant enjoyed all legal rights, including choice of defense attorney, and retained the right to appeal.

The ISPR added that issues related to political unrest and instability, as well as other matters involving Hameed, were being handled separately.