Pakistan Army appoints General Asim Malik as new ISI Chief
Pakistan has appointed Lieutenant-General Muhammad Asim Malik as the new Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general, replacing the current chief for the first time since 2021.
General Malik will replace General Nadeem Anjum, who has held the position since 2021.
The new ISI chief will officially assume his duties in about a week.
Previously, General Malik served at the Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
According to the Army’s public relations announcement, General Asim Malik has served in various capacities throughout his military career, including in the Balochistan Infantry Corps and commanding an infantry unit in Waziristan.
General Malik also served as a senior National Defence University instructor and trainer at the Command and Staff College in Quetta.
As reported by Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, General Malik is a graduate of Fort Leavenworth’s U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Royal College of Defence Studies in London.
General Nadeem Anjum, who General Malik will replace, is also a Royal College of Defence Studies graduate from Sandhurst, UK. General Nadeem was appointed ISI chief by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2021.
Before leading the ISI, General Nadeem commanded the Karachi Corps. His predecessor, Faiz Hameed, held the position before him.
The appointment comes amid growing scrutiny of the ISI’s political involvement, especially after a former ISI chief was arrested for supporting the jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan.
Imran Khan has accused the current ISI chief, Naveed Anjum, of using the agency against him, escalating tensions between the political and military leadership.
Senior judges in Pakistan have also alleged that ISI agents have been pressuring them to rule against Khan, a claim made in a letter to the chief justice that was shared in local media.
Although the ISI chief reports to the prime minister, the position is heavily influenced by Pakistan’s army chief, highlighting the military’s continued dominance in political and governance matters in Pakistan.
In recent times, Pakistan has witnessed an alarming surge in militant attacks targeting officials, civilians, and foreign nationals. This escalation has led to heightened security concerns across the country.
Yesterday, a tragic explosion struck a diplomatic convoy representing 12 foreign countries in Swat, resulting in the death of one Pakistani officer and the injury of four others.
These attacks are increasingly destabilizing Pakistan, making the protection of both domestic and international personnel a critical issue for the government. The growing threat from militants continues to challenge the country’s ability to maintain internal security and safeguard foreign interests within its borders.
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