Faiz Hameed
Faiz Hameed HI(M) (Punjabi & Urdu: فیض حمید) is a retired three-star general of the Pakistan Army and former spymaster who served as the 24th Director General of the ISI.[2][3][4] He was commissioned in the Baloch Regiment having served as GOC 16th Infantry Division Pano Akil.[5] He last served as Commander of the XXXI Corps before taking pre-mature retirement on 10 December 2022.[6][7]
Faiz Hameed | |
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فیض حمید | |
Commander XXXI Corps | |
In office 9 August 2022 – 3 December 2022 | |
Preceded by | Lt. Gen. Khalid Zia |
Succeeded by | Lt. Gen. Saqib Mehmood Malik |
Commander XI Corps | |
In office 20 November 2021 – 8 August 2022 | |
Preceded by | Lt. Gen. Nauman Mehmood |
Succeeded by | Lt. Gen. Sardar Hassan Azhar Hayat |
24th Director General of the ISI | |
In office 16 June 2019 – 19 November 2021 | |
President | Arif Alvi |
Prime Minister | Imran Khan |
Preceded by | Lt. Gen. Asim Munir |
Succeeded by | Lt. Gen. Nadeem Anjum |
Adjutant General at GHQ | |
In office April 2019 – June 2019 | |
Director General CT-Wing of the ISI | |
In office Jan 2017 – April 2019 | |
GOC 16th Infantry Division Pano Akil | |
In office June 2015 – Jan 2017 | |
Preceded by | Brigadier Shafqatullah[1] |
Personal details | |
Born | Chakwal, Pakistan |
Residence(s) | Chaklala, Rawalpindi |
Alma mater | |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1987-2022 |
Rank | ![]() ![]() |
Unit | Baloch Regiment |
Commands | |
Awards | ![]() |
Early life and family
Faiz was born in village of Latifal, Chakwal and he joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1987. He graduated from Command & Staff College, Quetta and was commissioned in the Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan Army. He has three brothers, Sardar Sikandar Hayat, Sardar Najaf, and Sardar Khizar. His brother Sikandar Hayat died in 2016 in an accident while his brother Sardar Najaf Hameed is a land revenue officer in his hometown. Faiz Hameed’s family belongs to Chakwal which has produced prominent military commanders in the history of Pakistan.[8]
Military career
Faiz was commissioned in the Pakistan Army’s Baloch Regiment. He served as Adjutant General at the GHQ in Rawalpindi, Pakistan from April 2019 to June 2019. He previsouly served as head of the ISI from January 2017 to April 2019. He has remained GOC (General Officer Commanding) of 16 infantry divisions at Pano Akil Cantonment from June 2015 to January 2017, DG Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) from June 2019 to 6th October 2021. He also served as Corp Commander In Peshawar and Bahawalpur until his retirement.[9]
Director-General of the ISI (2019–2021)
Lt Gen Faiz Hameed previously served as head of the ISI (Counter Intelligence Wing). Later he served as Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (DG-ISI) from June 2019 to 6th October 2021. He was the 24th Director-General of ISI. Lt Gen Faiz Hameed is best known for the role of chief spymaster. In September 2021, he visited Kabul just months after the Afghan Taliban took control of the country and discussed the changes after the US withdrawal.
Activities in Kabul following the Taliban victory
During his time as head of the ISI amid the 2021 Fall of Kabul he reached Kabul a few days after the Afghan capital was conquered by the Taliban. When a reporter asked “What do you hope is going to happen now in Afghanistan”, Lt Gen Faiz Hameed replied with a smile on his face, “Don’t worry, everything will be okay” in Afghanistan as he arrived in Kabul on what sources said was a day-long trip related to the security of the region.[10]
Effective dates of promotion
Insignia | Rank | Date |
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![]() ![]() | Lieutenant General | April 2019 |
![]() ![]() | Major General | Feb 2015[11] |
![]() ![]() | Brigadier | |
![]() | Colonel | |
![]() | Lieutenant Colonel | |
![]() | Major | |
![]() | Captain | |
![]() | Lieutenant | |
![]() | Second Lieutenant | 1987 |
Awards and decorations
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Hilal-e-Imtiaz
(Crescent of Excellence) (2018) |
Tamgha-e-Diffa
(General Service Medal) Siachen Glacier Clasp | ||
Tamgha-e-Baqa
1998 |
Tamgha-e-Istaqlal Pakistan
2002 |
Tamgha-e-Azm
(Medal of Conviction) (2018) |
10 Years Service Medal |
20 Years Service Medal | 30 Years Service Medal | 35 Years Service Medal | Jamhuriat Tamgha
(Democracy Medal) 1988 |
Qarardad-e-Pakistan Tamgha
(Resolution Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1990 |
Tamgha-e-Salgirah Pakistan
(Independence Day Golden Jubilee Medal) 1997 |
Command & Staff College Quetta
Student's Medal |
United Nations
(2 Deployments) |
Foreign decorations
Foreign Awards | ||
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UNMIK (Kosovo) Medal | ![]() |
References
- "Evening the odds: Army provides training to Sindh policemen". 3 May 2015.
- "Lt Gen Faiz Hameed named new DG ISI: govt spokesperson". Dawn. 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- "Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed new ISI chief". The News International. 16 June 2019. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- "PM accepts Gen Faiz Hameed's request for early retirement". Daily Times. 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
- "Army to adopt govt schools, hospitals in Pano Akil cantonment". 29 December 2015.
- "Pakistan Army appoints Lt Gen Faiz Hameed as Bahawalpur corps commander". The News International. 8 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- https://www.aajenglish.tv/news/30306036/federal-cabinet-approves-retirement-of-lt-gen-faiz-hameed-lt-gen-azhar-abbas
- "Who is Faiz Hameed? Biography". Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- "Who is Faiz Hameed? Biography". Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- "'Don't worry, everything will be okay': ISI chief during Kabul visit". Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- "28 brigadiers promoted to major generals".
External links
- Pakistan's ISI chief Faiz Hameed visits Kabul for meeting with Taliban (Business Standard, Sept. 5, 2021)
- ISI Chief Gen Faiz Hameed meets Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Taliban leaders in Kabul (Geo News, Sept. 5, 2021)
- 'Don't worry, everything will be okay': ISI chief during Kabul visit (Dawn News, Sept. 4, 2021)