Pakistan Appoints Major General Faisal Naseer as NACTA National Coordinator

Islamabad (Terror Monitor) — Pakistan’s federal government has appointed Major General Faisal Naseer as the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).

According to an official notification issued by the Establishment Division, Major General Faisal Naseer has been appointed for a three-year term. The appointment was made with the approval of the federal government and takes effect immediately.

The notification states that the appointment will remain in force until further orders.

Major General Faisal Naseer previously served as head of the Internal Wing of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), commonly referred to as DG-C.

What is NACTA?

The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) is Pakistan’s central institution for national-level policymaking and coordination among various state agencies in the fight against terrorism and extremism.

The authority was established in 2008 under the Ministry of Interior. Its responsibilities include formulating national strategies against terrorism and extremism, developing action plans, improving coordination among relevant federal and provincial institutions, and keeping the government informed about counterterrorism measures and progress.

NACTA was also tasked with overseeing the implementation of the 20-point National Action Plan formulated to combat terrorism and extremism.

Faisal Naseer’s Name Came to Prominence Following Imran Khan’s Allegations

Major General Faisal Naseer’s name became prominent in Pakistan’s political circles after former Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly criticized him during a protest movement launched following the ouster of Khan’s government in 2022.

After a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan succeeded in April 2022, his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party launched a series of protest rallies and other political activities across the country. During this period, Khan repeatedly named Major General Faisal Naseer and made various allegations against him.

On November 3, 2022, Imran Khan was wounded in a shooting during a protest march in Wazirabad. Khan later accused three individuals of being involved in the attack, including Major General Faisal Naseer.

The Pakistani military rejected the allegations at the time, calling them baseless.

During a press conference, Khan called on then-Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to remove Major General Faisal Naseer from his position or transfer him. He also said he wanted to register a First Information Report (FIR) concerning the attack against him.

The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), later said in a statement that allegations made by Imran Khan against the army and a specific senior officer were unacceptable.

According to ISPR, the military had asked the government to investigate the matter and take legal action over what it described as alleged defamation of the institution and its senior officer.

Who is Major General Faisal Naseer?

Limited information is publicly available about Major General Faisal Naseer’s military career.

According to reports, he was promoted to the rank of major general in 2022 and was subsequently posted to the ISI in August that year.

He served as head of the ISI’s Internal Wing, commonly referred to as DG-C. The position is sometimes described as the agency’s political wing.

Within the ISI, the term “DG-C” is reportedly not an abbreviation for counterintelligence but a designation code used within the agency. Other letters are also used for different sections of the organization.

Former ISI chief Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed also headed the same wing while serving as a major general.

In December 2025, Lieutenant General (retired) Faiz Hameed was sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labor on four charges, including involvement in political activities and violations of the Official Secrets Act.

Military and Intelligence Career

Major General Faisal Naseer was commissioned into the Punjab Regiment of the Pakistan Army. Early in his military career, he became associated with the Military Intelligence Corps and subsequently spent much of his career in intelligence-related assignments.

The limited public information about his career is also attributed to the nature of his intelligence-related responsibilities.

According to reports, he has received various military honors during his service, including the Sitara-e-Basalat, Distinguished Service Medals and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.

Major General Faisal Naseer was also posted to Balochistan twice during his military career.

In a 2022 interview, current Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also referred to his postings in the province. According to Bugti, Faisal Naseer worked on counterterrorism and counterintelligence matters during periods of intense instability in Balochistan.

Bugti said he had observed Faisal Naseer working professionally on operations against Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Islamic State militants and other elements, as well as on counterintelligence matters.

Major General Faisal Naseer’s appointment as NACTA’s National Coordinator comes at a time when Pakistan is facing an increase in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

His new responsibilities will include coordinating between various state institutions involved in counterterrorism and overseeing the implementation of national counterterrorism policies.