Islamabad, May 1 (UNI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assigned the additional portfolio of National Security Adviser (NSA) to Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Asim Malik, an official said.
According to a notification dated April 29, Lt Gen Asim Malik will now serve as the Prime Minister's National Security Adviser in addition to his current role as DG ISI.
The appointment comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India, and conveys the message that the country's civil and military leadership are aligned on key national security matters, Pakistan media reports said.
The NSA position had remained vacant since April 2022, when the PTI government was ousted after former Prime Minister Imran Khan lost a vote of confidence. At the time, Moeed Yusuf was serving as the NSA.
The NSA holds the status of a federal minister and serves as the principal adviser to the Prime Minister on matters of national security, foreign policy, and strategic affairs.
The adviser also heads the National Security Division, based at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat in Islamabad.
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