Abdul Rehman Malik

Rehman Malik NI (Punjabi, Urdu: رحمان ملک; born 12 December 1951 – 23 February 2022) was a Pakistani politician, and a former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officer, who later served as the federal Interior Minister from 25 March 2008 until 16 March 2013.

Prior to his entry in national politics, Malik had served in the FIA as a special agent, eventually becoming the Additional Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency in 1993 until 1996. During his stint as Director, he coordinated successful counter-terrorist operations in the country as well as abroad, including the arrest and extradition of Yousaf Ramzi to the United States in 1995. After being removed from the Directorship, Malik moved to the United Kingdom and began political activity through the PPP platform.

From 2004 until 2007, he served as the chief of security of Benazir Bhutto and became senior official of the central committee of the PPP. After successfully contesting the general elections held in 2008, Malik was appointed adviser and eventually appointed Interior Minister by Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani. In 2013, he lost his ministerial appointment after a Supreme Court's hearing against the dual nationality case, which also influenced his decision of resigning from the Pakistan Senate, also the same year. He gained his BSc degree and MSc in Statistics in 1973 from the Karachi University. In 2011, Malik was conferred with an honorary PhD by the Karachi University in recognition of "matchless services to the country in the war on terror and particularly in restoring peace to the citizens of Karachi."

Controversially, the decision of conferring a PhD to Rehman Malik was criticized by the university's professors. The media also criticized the university's decision. Over this issue, the teachers society of Karachi University passed a unanimous resolution demanding the Governor of Sindh and the Vice Chancellor revoke the honorary doctorate degree.

FIA career In 1973, Malik joined the National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) as the immigration agent and subsequently served in the various services of the intelligence community, working in various criminal offense cases. In the 1980s, allegedly on the recommendation of Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, he joined the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) as a special agent and initially investigated cases against KHAD's terrorist-sponsored operations in the country. Eventually he was appointed an Additional Director General of the FIA in 1993. His appointment was personally approved by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. His efforts equally dismayed the military establishment by reports of the FIA contacting the Israeli secret service, the Mossad, to investigate Islamist terrorists. The FIA leadership under Malik also angered Taliban supporters within the conservative establishment, because they allowed the extradition of Ramzi Yousef to the United States for trial on the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. With the dismissal of the government of the PPP, Malik left the country and settled in the United Kingdom, where he set up his own private security firm, DM Digital Network. Malik, serving at the capacity as firm's president, established its head office at Manchester. Through this firm, he assisted Benazir Bhutto during her exile, and he was her Chief of Security when she returned home in 2007.

PPP activism Over his years in the United Kingdom, he grew closer to the elite central committee of the PPP. In 2007, he replaced Amin Fahim as the most trusted political aide of Benazir Bhutto, and was appointed the chief of security of Benazir Bhutto in 2007.

He became extremely known in public after breaking a "political deal" between Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf, which allowed Benazir Bhutto to return to the country. Earlier in 2002, Fahim had formed the extension of PPP (although later merged it) and acted as the leader of PPP in the absence of Benazir and her husband Asif Ali Zardari. The passengers refused to let him on board, and a verbal altercation occurred, resulting in the denial of Malik's boarding.

Interior Minister (2008—2013) After PPP formed the Federal Government following the 2008 general elections, Malik was appointed an "adviser on interior, intelligence, and narcotics control" by Prime Minister Yousaf Gillani.

Malik was an Interior Minister during the penultimate times in the history of the country.

Court suspension The Constitution bars a foreign national (or dual nationality holder) from holding any public office of the Government of Pakistan. The Supreme Court of Pakistan retroactively suspended and terminated the electoral membership of Farahnaz Ispahani over the issue of dual nationality on 25 May 2012.

In a reference filed against Malik, the Supreme Court began the hearings against Malik over the suspicion of his British nationality.

On 5 October 2012, Malik informed the Supreme Court that he renounced his British citizenship on 25 March 2008.

Resignation Shortly after the verdict, Malik tendered his resignation to the Senate to Chairman Senate on 10 July 2012. He continued his work with the Ministry of Interior at the behest of Prime Minister Pervez Ashraf.

On 4 June, his membership in the Senate was suspended by the Supreme Court for being a dual national. This resulted in the loss of his position as the Interior Minister, because Article 63-A of the Constitution of Pakistan requires each member of the cabinet to be a member of the Parliament. On 10 July 2012, Malik resigned from the Senate.

National Reconciliation Ordinance In 2007 the case of alleged corruption against Malik was dropped under the amnesty of the National Reconciliation Ordinance. However, the Anti Corruption court issued Arrest Warrants for Rehman Malik in December 2009.

Death Malik contracted COVID-19, which led to complications in his lungs. He was admitted to the intensive care unit at Shifa Medical hospital for treatment on 1 February 2022, and was put on ventilator. Malik died on the morning of 23 February 2022, at the age of 70.