In a first, Pakistan names ISI chief as NSA amid tensions with India

Pakistan has appointed Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Asim Malik as national security adviser (NSA), a move Kamran Khan calls “unprecedented” and strategically vital as tensions with India reach a peak.

Khan said in his vlog that the appointment, the first time a serving ISI chief has been given the NSA role, comes as global powers including the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar engage both India and Pakistan to de-escalate growing hostilities.

“This is not a routine decision,” Khan said. “The timing makes it extraordinary.”

Global push for calm

Khan said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is actively engaging with Islamabad and New Delhi, urging de-escalation and encouraging other foreign ministers to speak to both sides. The international community, he said, is working behind the scenes to prevent a conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

In this context, Pakistan’s move to appoint Gen. Malik to the NSA post signals preparation for what Khan described as an eventual “critical environment” for talks — visible or behind the scenes.

“Whenever backchannel or Track II diplomacy resumes — and it will — the NSA post becomes crucial,” Khan said.

First NSA since Moeed Yusuf

The NSA position had remained vacant since April 2022, when Dr Moeed Yusuf resigned. Previous holders of the post include Gen. (retd.) Mahmood Ali Durrani under the PPP government and Gen. (retd.) Nasser Janjua under PML-N — both retired officers.

“This is the first time a serving officer — and that too the sitting ISI chief — has been made NSA,” Khan noted.

He added that the dual appointment underscores the alignment between Pakistan’s civilian leadership and military establishment at a time of heightened regional risk.

India’s NSA, Ajit Doval, has led all recent backchannel diplomacy efforts from New Delhi’s side, Khan said. With Gen. Malik’s appointment, the stage is set for the two counterparts to potentially engage directly.

“For the last 11 years, India’s Track II diplomacy has been led by Doval. Now any future dialogue will be between him and Gen. Malik,” Khan said.

He suggested that Islamabad has made the appointment with such high-stakes engagement in mind.

A distinguished military career

Gen. Malik, who took over as ISI chief last year, previously served as Adjutant General of the Pakistan Army. His father, Gen. G.M. Malik, also retired as a lieutenant general and served as a corps commander.

Kamran Khan highlighted Gen. Malik’s reputation as a highly professional officer with a distinguished record in military service.

Though Gen. Malik is due to retire in October, Khan speculated that — as with former ISI chief Lt. Gen. (retd.) Nadeem Anjum — his term might be extended for continuity in national security policy.

“Even if not extended as ISI chief, Gen. Malik will likely stay on as NSA,” Khan said.

Political and military alignment

Khan emphasized that the move reflects a rare moment of consensus between the political leadership and the military.

“This arrangement was necessary,” he said. “It reflects the maturity of civil-military ties at a time when national security requires unified direction.”

He also noted that past NSA appointments under civilian governments, such as Generals Durrani and Janjua, were ultimately unsuccessful due to internal challenges. The current appointment appears to have broader institutional support.

Preparing for dialogue

Khan believes the decision is a strategic signal to both domestic and international audiences that Pakistan is ready, when the time comes, to engage in meaningful dialogue with India.

“This is about preparing the ground for the moment when, eventually, both sides must come to the table,” Khan concluded.