The federal government appointed Director General Inter-Services Intelligence Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik as the country’s new National Security Advisor on Wednesday.

A notification has been issued announcing Malik’s appointment dated April 29. He becomes the 10th NSA in the history of the country.

The general will continue to head ISI, the country’s premier intelligence agency, a position he has held since September last year.

Although multiple army officers have been appointed to the role in the past, this is the first time a serving general will hold the position.

The last NSA was Moeed Yusuf, who had been appointed in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. However, the office has been vacant since the Imran Khan-led government ended in 2022.

The NSA is the prime minister’s main aide on national security, foreign policy, and strategic affairs. The NSA is given the position and protocol of a federal minister and his office is situated inside the PM Office.

Malik’s posting comes amid heightened tensions with India after the Pahalgam attack. India had blamed Pakistan for the attack, announcing that it would hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance among other measures. Pakistan had responded by calling an usurpation of waters as an ‘act of war’.

Meanwhile, India has given its armed forces operational freedom to act against Pakistan. In reply, Deputy Prime Minister and Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan would not be the initiator of any armed action but would strongly respond to any aggression by India.