Interior Secretary Pakistan: Ahmad Raza Sarwar — Role, Powers & Past Secretaries
The Interior Secretary is the most powerful civil servant in Pakistan’s internal-security apparatus — the administrative head of the ministry, boss of its departments’ bureaucracy, and the minister’s principal adviser. This guide explains the role and profiles the current incumbent.
Quick answer: Pakistan’s Interior Secretary is Ahmad Raza Sarwar (BS-22), appointed 29 July 2026, succeeding Muhammad Khurram Agha. The secretary runs the ministry’s administration from R Block, Pak Secretariat, overseeing NADRA, FIA, DGIP and the civil armed forces’ civilian oversight.
The role & powers
The Interior Secretary (a BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service) is the ministry’s principal accounting officer: responsible for its budget, postings and transfers, policy implementation, and coordination with the minister. The secretary chairs departmental meetings, represents the ministry in inter-ministerial forums, and signs off on everything from passport policy to Rangers deployments. Three Additional Secretaries head the Administration, Civil Armed Forces/ICT, and Immigration/Legal wings.
The current secretary
Ahmad Raza Sarwar, a BS-22 officer, was appointed Interior Secretary on 29 July 2026 by the federal government, replacing Muhammad Khurram Agha. As secretary he oversees the ministry’s expanding brief — including the merged narcotics-control wing and the 24/7 service reforms driven by Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Recent past secretaries
- Muhammad Khurram Agha — secretary until July 2026 (accompanied the minister to China, Jan 2026)
- Aftab Akbar Durrani — earlier incumbent
- Yousuf Naseem Khokhar — served during the 2022–23 transition
Secretaries typically serve 1–2 years; the post turns over with governments and establishment reshuffles.
Related Guides
Secretary: FAQs
Who is the interior secretary of Pakistan?
Ahmad Raza Sarwar (BS-22), appointed 29 July 2026.
Who was interior secretary before him?
Muhammad Khurram Agha.
What grade is the interior secretary?
BS-22 — the top civil service grade, usually from the Pakistan Administrative Service.
What does the interior secretary do?
Runs the ministry’s administration: budget, postings, policy implementation and coordination across NADRA, FIA, DGIP and the armed-forces wings.
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