ISI Chief Lt Gen Asim Malik Appointed New NSA, Is Shehbaz Sharif Just a Ceremonial Figure?

In a dramatic display of deep state dominance, ISI Chief Lt Gen Asim Malik has been named Pakistan ’s new National Security Advisor (NSA) — solidifying fears that the country is now under the firm grip of its military-intelligence establishment rather than civilian leadership.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appears to have been sidelined to a symbolic role, with actual authority in Islamabad now resting entirely with the ISI. This extraordinary shift casts serious doubt on Pakistan’s democratic structure, its political stability, and the true direction of its governance.