Lieutenant General Agha Muhammad Umer Farooq, Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Military) was commissioned in Baloch Regiment in 1977. He is a graduate of Command & Staff College Quetta, National Defence University, Islamabad and United States Army War College, Carlisle.

The General has a vast experience of Command & Staff, wherein he command an infantry unit twice, two Infantry Brigades, an Infantry Division part of Strike Corps and Army School of Infantry and Tactics. He has served as United Nation Observer, Directing Staff in Command and Staff College, General Staff Officer - I Plans and Operations in Mountain Corps, Director Military Operations, Chief of Staff of a Strike Corps, Chief of Staff in Federal Relief Commission of earthquake in October 2005 and Director General Transition and Coordination, Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority.

His varied experience in the civil comprises command of various setups in aid of civil power on myriad duties like conduct & monitoring of elections 1993,1997, 2003 and 2007, holding of national census 1997, survey of educational / health facilities in assigned areas, conduct of high profile national & international events, flood relief duties as well as Internal Security duties in various capacities.

He also holds two master degrees, one in War Studies and the other in Strategic Studies. He has been a frequent guest speaker on numerous international seminars and conferences on disaster response, peace operations and humanitarian assistance, civil - military coordination aspects and arms control and disarmament. He is presently President National Defence University since October 2010.