Who is Asim Malik, who became the new chief of Pakistan’s ISI?

ISI New Chief: Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has got a new chief. Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik has been appointed DG of Inter-Services Intelligence and he will take charge on September 30. General Malik is currently working as Adjutant General at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

According to Dawn News, in October 2021, the then Major General Asim Malik was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General, as well as appointed Adjutant General of the Army. At the same time, according to PTV News, during his military career, General Malik has served in the Balochistan Infantry Division and commanded an infantry brigade in Waziristan. The new ISI chief has been awarded the Sword of Honor in his course.

He has been the Chief Instructor at National Defense University

In addition, General Malik has also served as Chief Instructor at the National Defense University in Islamabad and Instructor at the Command and Staff College Quetta. The military officer is a graduate of Fort Leavenworth in the United States and the Royal College of Defense Studies in London, the statement said.

will take the place of a close aide of Imran Khan

The newly appointed officer will replace Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum, who was appointed by then Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2021. General Anjum, who was commissioned into service in September 1988, has previously commanded Corps V in Karachi. He commanded a brigade in Kurram Agency, led Frontier Corps (North) in Balochistan and was Commandant of Command and Staff College Quetta before becoming Karachi Corps Commander in December 2020.

How is the ISI chief selected?

His appointment came nearly three weeks after an alleged deadlock between the army and the government over the appointment of Pakistan’s new spy chief. According to defence experts, the procedure for appointing the ISI DG is neither mentioned in the Constitution nor in the Army Act. All previous appointments were made as per traditions, under which the army chief proposes three names to the prime minister, who then takes the final decision.

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