Key points
- ISI chief becomes the country’s 10th NSA
- Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik to retain ISI DG role
- Malik was appointed as ISI chief in September 2024
ISLAMABAD: Amid rising tensions with arch-rival India, the Pakistan government has appointed Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik, the incumbent Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI), as the new National Security Advisor (NSA).
The country’s premier intelligence agency chief becomes the country’s tenth NSA.
According to local media, Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik will also remain the Director General of ISI. He was appointed as the ISI chief in September 2024.
Additional charge
“Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik HI(M), DG (I), shall hold the additional charge of the National Security Advisor, with immediate effect,” Dawn reported, citing a notification.
Moeed Yusuf was the last serving NSA when he was removed in 2022.
The NSA position had remained vacant since April 2022, when the PTI government was ousted after former Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a vote of confidence.
The NSA holds the status of a federal minister and serves as the principal advisor to the prime minister on matters of national security, foreign policy, and strategic affairs.
“Credible intelligence”
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated further after a top Pakistani official claimed early Wednesday to have “credible intelligence” that New Delhi will carry out a military action against Islamabad within the next two days.
“Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in an unusual middle of the night post on X.
Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.
Indian self assumed hubristic role of Judge, Jury and… pic.twitter.com/WVW6yhxTJ0— Attaullah Tarar (@TararAttaullah) April 29, 2025
The claim came as both the United States and China urged restraint.
“Indian self assumed hubristic role of Judge, Jury and Executioner in the region is reckless and vehemently rejected. Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism itself and truly understands the pain of this scourge. We have always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations anywhere in the world,” Tarar said.
