In a controversial move highlighting nepotism and power consolidation, Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir’s nephew, Captain Syed Abdur Rehman Bin Qasim, along with nine other Pakistani military officers, has been transferred from the armed forces to Pakistan’s civil services. Munir’s nephew, the son of his brother Syed Qasim Munir, is now positioned to potentially serve in the Prime Minister’s Office, Interior Ministry, or even Pakistan’s embassies and high commissions abroad, giving him direct access to both administrative power and ISI intelligence networks.
According to a release by Pakistan’s Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), all ten officers, including Munir’s nephew, cleared the Central Superior Services (CSS) Exam 2024. Among them, seven are from the Army, one from the Air Force, and two from the Navy, who have been assigned to cadres such as Administration, Police, and Foreign Services.
Asim Munir’s Nephew Clears PAS
Captain Syed Abdur Rehman Bin Qasim has been assigned to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) cadre, equivalent to India’s IAS. Sources said that following a three-month Civil Service Academy training, he is expected to begin in a senior Punjab government department for at least one year before being posted to high-ranking positions in the Prime Minister’s Office, Interior Ministry, or Defence Ministry as per Asim Munir’s requirements for the next two to three years.
The Pakistani military has long used this system to place relatives of senior Army and ISI officials into key domestic ministries and foreign missions after they pass the FPSC exam. Historically, this method has allowed senior generals to extend their influence both domestically and internationally.
Military officers connected to high-ranking generals are often transferred to the Foreign Service after three to four years of service in domestic administration, such as the PAS or PSP. They are posted abroad to Pakistan’s high-value embassies or high commissions, serving as defence officers, administrative officers, or trade attachés, while simultaneously managing the ISI’s intelligence network.
Former generals, including Pervez Kayani and Qamar Bajwa, employed similar tactics. For instance, Major Waqas Khan was sent to the Saudi embassy in 2020 after joining civil service in 2016, Captain Abdul Hanan was posted to London, and Lieutenant Commodore Zainul Abideen to Doha, all backed by senior generals to operate Pakistan’s overseas intelligence network. What makes this case unprecedented is that it is the first time a serving general has directly placed his own nephew, an active army officer, in such a powerful administrative role.
Asim Munir Wants To Control Pak Governance?
Sources indicate that Asim Munir aims to control Pakistan’s governance and maintain direct oversight over the Prime Minister’s Office and Interior Ministry through his nephew, potentially influencing policy and even power shifts. Moreover, given Pakistan’s intelligence network’s global reach, Munir’s nephew could eventually be posted to embassies in the Middle East, the U.S., the U.K., India, or other countries to manage Pakistani intelligence operations—ensuring Asim Munir’s control over ISI activities and covert operations abroad.
Other officers assigned to civil and police services include Flight Lieutenant Talha Hasib (Air Force), Captains Yasir Hameed, Hamza Tahir Shah, Imtiaz Hussain, Bilal Khan Wazir, Zohaib Nasir, Syed Mohammad Umar Shah (Army), and Lieutenants Muhammad Arslan Shakeel and Muhammad Ali Hammad (Navy).
The appointments have sparked outrage within Pakistan, with opposition leaders and activists denouncing the move as blatant nepotism and an attempt by Asim Munir to infiltrate governance, consolidating power for personal and strategic control over the country and its foreign intelligence operations.
