ISLAMABAD: Security sources confirmed on Monday that Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik will continue serving as the Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), retaining his current appointment beyond his expected retirement this year.
Lt Gen Malik also holds the position of National Security Advisor, a dual role reflecting his key influence within Pakistan’s national security framework.
Appointed as ISI chief in September 2024, Lt Gen Malik was 59 years old at the time of his appointment. Before taking over as ISI chief, he served as Adjutant General at the Army’s General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, where he oversaw administrative, legal, and disciplinary matters for three years.
His field experience includes commanding an infantry division in Balochistan and an infantry brigade in South Waziristan, both areas long considered focal points of Pakistan’s counterinsurgency and security operations.
A recipient of the Sword of Honour — awarded to the best cadet of his course — Lt Gen Malik has also served as Chief Instructor at the National Defence University (NDU) and as an instructor at the Command and Staff College in Quetta.
He is the son of retired Lt Gen Ghulam Muhammad Malik, a senior officer who held key positions during the 1990s.
A graduate of Fort Leavenworth (USA) and the Royal College of Defence Studies (UK), Malik has also held strategic roles in the Military Operations Directorate.
Retired Lt Gen Naeem Khalid Lodhi described him as a “quiet yet highly respected officer,” noting his contributions to the welfare of retired personnel.
“Even as Adjutant General, he worked extensively to improve pension and welfare systems for ex-servicemen,” Lodhi said.
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Founded in 1948, the ISI remains Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, responsible for national security and foreign intelligence operations.
