Air Vice Marshal Syed Najam ul Asar, who served as Director at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies in Islamabad, was commissioned in the GDP Branch of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in October 1978. His 34-year tenure in the PAF was marked by flying various fighters and training aircraft and included commanding roles of a Fighter Squadron, a Fighter Wing, and a prestigious fighter base of the PAF. He completed numerous professional courses both in Pakistan and internationally. He is a fellow of the PAF Air War College in Karachi and the National Defence University, holding Master’s degrees in War Studies and Strategic Studies from Karachi University and Quaid-i-Azam University, respectively. As a two-star officer, he served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence for five years, where he contributed significantly to enhancing the working environment and culture. Post-retirement, he earned an MPhil in Peace and Conflict Studies from NDU, Islamabad in 2016 and has been engaged as a visiting faculty member there. Air Vice Marshal Asar is a decorated military officer, honored with the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-e-Basalat, and Sitara-e-Esar for his humanitarian services during the 2005 earthquake.