Former Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed General (retd) Faiz Hameed as the head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in 2019, recognizing him as a trusted ally. The ISI chief is often viewed as the second most powerful military officer in Pakistan, just behind the Army Chief.
Before his appointment as the Bahawalpur corps commander, General Hameed served in the same role in Peshawar and has been a prominent figure in Pakistan’s political landscape over the past decade.
Hameed first gained significant public attention in November 2017 when he played a crucial role in resolving the Faizabad sit-in led by Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan through negotiations. This event later led the Supreme Court to issue a suo motu notice in February 2019, directing the ISI and the Inter-Services Public Relations to adhere strictly to their respective mandates.
As DG ISI from 2019 to 2021, Hameed became internationally recognized when he was filmed having tea in a Kabul hotel lobby shortly after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, following the withdrawal of U.S. and other Western forces.
His tenure as ISI chief followed the sudden removal of the then-ISI chief and current Army Chief, General Asim Munir, who reportedly presented evidence of alleged corruption involving Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, and close aide, Farah Gogi.
There was widespread speculation that Imran Khan intended to appoint Hameed as the next Army Chief after General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s retirement in November 2022. Hameed was one of six generals whose names were forwarded by GHQ to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for consideration for the top military position.
After Khan was ousted from office through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, he claimed that his removal was orchestrated by the military, a claim that the military has denied. Following his ouster, Khan led a campaign of defiance against the military. His arrest in May 2023 on graft charges sparked nationwide protests, during which anger was directed at army installations.
These protests were met with a major crackdown on Khan’s party, which, despite the repression, went on to secure the most seats in February’s general elections, with many candidates running as independents.
