Who Is ISI Chief Mohammad Asim Malik, Appointed New Pakistan Security Adviser

Pakistan has named Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik, the current Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the country’s new National Security Adviser (NSA). Lt Gen Malik has taken on the NSA’s role as an additional charge with immediate effect.

He assumed charge as the ISI chief in September 2024. His appointment comes amid heightened tensions with India following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Who Is Mohammad Asim Malik?

Mohammad Asim Malik is a three-star general (Lieutenant General). He was born into a Punjabi Awan family with ancestral roots in Shahpur, Sargodha District, Punjab province. He is the son of retired Lieutenant General Ghulam Muhammad Malik.

Mr Malik joined the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) and was part of the 80th Long Course. He graduated from PMA as the recipient of the prestigious Sword of Honour. He was commissioned into the 12th Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan Army in 1989.

He earned a B.Sc degree from the University of Balochistan in 1999. He later studied at Fort Leavenworth in the US. Mr Malik also attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK. He earned a PhD in US-Pakistan relations from the National Defence University (NDU) in Pakistan. 

Throughout his career, he remained affiliated with the Baloch Regiment. As a brigadier, he commanded an Infantry Brigade in the Waziristan region. He then led the 41st Infantry Division in Balochistan as a major general. He worked in the Military Operations Directorate at the General Headquarters (GHQ) besides serving as an instructor at the Pakistan Command and Staff College in Quetta. He served as the Chief Instructor at the National Defence University in Islamabad as well.

Mr Malik later served as Adjutant General at General Headquarters (GHQ), where he oversaw the case against former ISI chief Lt Gen Faiz Hameed – widely seen as part of an effort to imprison Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other party leaders. His tenure then saw the arrest of Imran Khan and the violent protests – including the 9 May arson attacks – that followed. Investigations into these were overseen by Mr Malik.

On 23 September 2024, he was appointed the Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI), succeeding Nadeem Anjum. He is the first PhD holder to be appointed for the role.