Pakistan Appoints New ISI Chief Asim Malik

Pakistan has appointed Lieutenant-General Muhammad Asim Malik as the new director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), its top spy agency. This information comes from a security source and a local TV channel, marking the first change in this key position since 2021.

The reported move comes amid intense scrutiny of the agency’s political role. A former ISI chief has been arrested for supporting the political cause of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who alleges that the agency, under current chief Naveed Anjum, is being used against him.

Several senior judges have also alleged, in a letter to the chief justice published in local media, that ISI agents were applying pressure on them to decide cases against Khan.

A source with knowledge of the move told Reuters that Malik, currently serving as the army’s Adjudicate General and a graduate of Fort Leavenworth in the United States, will take over on September 30 as the chief of the ISI.

The position of ISI director general is one of the most powerful roles in Pakistan, positioned at the intersection of domestic politics, the military, and foreign relations.

While the ISI chief technically reports to the prime minister, he is controlled by Pakistan’s army chief. A standoff between Khan and the army over the appointment of the ISI chief in 2021 is believed to have led to a fallout with top generals, resulting in his ouster from the premiership months later.

Pakistan’s army, which denies pressuring judges or any role in politics, has ruled Pakistan for over three decades since 1958 and continues to exert control over key areas of governance in the country.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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