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Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik, current ISI chief, has been given additional charge as Pakistan’s National Security Advisor amid rising tensions with India. Here’s who Malik is.
A file photo of Muhammad Asim Malik (Source: Social Media)
Amid rising tension with India over the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan has appointed Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik as the National Security Advisor.
According to the Pakistan government sources, Malik’s dual role as ISI chief and NSA consolidates his authority over Pakistan’s security policies, blending intelligence coordination with strategic decision-making.
Malik has been given the NSA position as an additional charge, a position, which, according to some reports, had been vacant since April 2022.
An official order of Malik’s new appointment was widely being shared on social media.
WHO IS MUHAMMAD ASIM MALIK?
Asim Malik was appointed the ISI Director General in September 2024, after he succeeded Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum.
Before his appointment as the ISI DG, Malik served as an Adjutant General at the general headquarters in Rawalpindi. In the past, Malik has also led the Infantry Brigade in Waziristan and the Infantry Division in Balochistan.
Malik has also served as the chief instructor at the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad and as an instructor at the Command and Staff College, Quetta.
According to a report with ARY News, Malik has also been a recipient of a Sword of Honour.
On the curriculum front, Malik is a graduate of Fort Leavenworth in the United States and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London.
His academic work focuses on strategic and diplomatic ties, aligning with his role in shaping Pakistan’s security policies amid tensions with India.
ASIM MALIK’s ROLE AS PAKISTAN NSA
As the National Security Advisor, Malik will focus on managing India-Pakistan relations, particularly after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which India linked to Pakistan-based groups.
Pakistan says it will streamline counterterrorism efforts and address cross-border militancy, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Malik is also expected to manage Pakistan’s engagement with the Afghan Taliban, including border security at Chaman and Torkham crossings.
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