Pakistan’s power struggle has intensified once again, with Army chief Asim Munir stepping up pressure on his main rival, Imran Khan. Munir is reportedly moving to use former ISI chief Faiz Hamid’s testimony to implicate the jailed ex-prime minister in a potential treason case — a charge that carries the death penalty or life imprisonment under Pakistani law.
Army chief and self-declared Field Marshal Asim Munir — now seen most powerful figure in Pakistan — appears to be further tightening his grip on his chief rival, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
After reportedly overseeing Imran’s removal from office and his imprisonment, Munir is now pushing a former ISI chief into the frame to implicate him. The move fits into Munir’s broader strategy to try Imran for treason, an offence in Pakistan that carries either life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Ex-ISI chief Hamid sentenced
Faiz Hamid, the former director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was handed a 14-year sentence by a Field General Court Martial on Thursday on four charges, including involvement in political activities.
He also faces a separate inquiry into his alleged role in the May 2023 attacks on military installations and offices by thousands of Imran’s supporters following the former prime minister’s arrest from court premises.
Hamid ‘ready to testify’ against Imran
On Geo News, Senator Faisal Vawda — once a senior figure in Imran’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) — claimed that Faiz Hamid is prepared to testify against the jailed former premier. Hamid would provide evidence against Imran, Vawda said, adding that the ex-ISI chief now appears to be firmly “caught in the legal squeeze”.
Govt alleges joint plot behind may 9 violence
Speaking on the same programme, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that the May 9 unrest — including attacks on the Corps Commander’s House in Lahore and the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi — was a “joint plan” orchestrated by Imran Khan and Faiz Hamid. He claimed the violence was aimed at undermining and “overturning the appointment” of Asim Munir as Army chief. According to Asif, Imran “could not have carried out May 9 alone” and relied on the influence Hamid continued to wield after retirement.
Munir’s short-lived ISI tenure
Munir was appointed ISI chief by then-Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa but served only eight months. Imran Khan, then prime minister and on good terms with the military establishment, reportedly removed him in 2019 after Munir initiated a corruption probe involving Imran’s wife, Bushra Bibi.
Treason risk for Imran Khan
Imran’s premiership ended in April 2022 after a no-confidence vote that his supporters allege was swayed by the military hierarchy. Later that year, Bajwa appointed Munir as the new Army chief.
If Faiz Hamid’s testimony links Imran to any conspiracy against the military, the former prime minister could face a treason trial. Under Pakistani law, a treason conviction carries either the death penalty or life imprisonment.
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