Pakistan transfers ISI internal-wing chief Faisal Naseer to Nacta

The government has moved Major General Faisal Naseer from one of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency’s most powerful internal positions to lead Pakistan’s National Counter-Terrorism Authority, a surprise decision that has drawn attention ahead of army promotions.

Naseer served as director general of the ISI’s Internal Wing, known as DG (C), from 2022. The post is often mistakenly described as heading the agency’s counter-intelligence wing. In fact, it handles domestic security and political matters and regularly engages with the country’s main centres of power. Within the ISI, DG (C) is regarded as nearly the agency’s second-most important position after the director general.

The transfer is notable because Naseer, an officer from the Corps of Military Intelligence, had been viewed as a strong candidate for promotion to lieutenant general. Under the military’s usual career progression, an officer moved from an active military assignment generally has weaker promotion prospects, although exceptions have occurred. Naseer took the ISI post shortly after becoming a major general and remained there through a politically turbulent period.

Nacta was created in 2009 and received statutory backing in 2013 as the civilian body meant to coordinate counter-terrorism and counter-extremism policies among federal and provincial agencies. In practice, it has remained largely a policy secretariat with limited power to enforce decisions. It has also had more than a dozen national coordinators, most drawn from the police service.

Naseer’s appointment departs from that pattern and could signal an effort to strengthen Nacta’s role. The government did not immediately give a reason for the change.