ISLAMABAD (TDI): The government has finalized decision to appoint new defence secretary and named Lt Gen Muhammad Ali for the slot.
According to a notification from Establishment Division, he will take charge as 33rd defence secretary on October 1.
He is currently working as Quarter Master General at the General Headquarters, and going to retire from military service soon. Lt Gen Ali would work as defense secretary on contract for two years and few months till Dec 31, 2026.
Read More: Lt Gen Asim Malik Appointed as News ISI chief
He is from Artillery Regiment and has been serving as QMG since December 2022. He had earlier served as the commander of Army Strategic Forces Command after his promotion as a three-star general in November 2020.
Also Read: Who will be the Next Army Chief of Pakistan
According to daily Dawn, additional secretary at the defence ministry Maj Gen Amer Ashfaq Kayani had took charge as acting secretary since Aug 24, 2024, following Lt Gen (retd) Hamooduz Zaman Khan’s departure after completing his contractual tenure.
Earlier this month, Lieutenant-General Muhammad Asim Malik was appointed as the new head of the Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI.
Several analysts maintain that the reshuffling and new appointments on key positions is important steps on part of the set up and reflects priorities in policies and decision making.
