Faruk Malik

According to journalists Martha Honey and David B. Ottaway, Malik was a "Zanzibari of Pakistani origin".[2] Indian diplomat Madanjeet Singh concurred, describing him as Pakistani national.[3] In contrast, one of Amin's advisors, Bob Astles, claimed that Malik was a "Pakistani/British Asian"[4] and "London friend" of his.[5]

Malik rose to prominence while serving in the State Research Bureau, a Ugandan intelligence agency and secret police which operated during President Amin's rule (1971–1979).[2] According to Singh, Malik was Amin's "master spy".[1] Astles stated that Malik understood the President very well,[5] and that the two were "very close".[4] In this position, he played a major role in Uganda's Ministry of Information, overseeing "several dozen" other spies.[2] One of his main tasks was to spy on Uganda's expatriate and local Asian community.[2][3] He also assessed and organized British newspaper clippings on Uganda.[4] According to Astles, Malik was supposed to keep Amin up-to-date on "hijacking developments" after the President gave shelter to a hijacked Airbus A300 jet airliner in 1976.[5]

In addition, Malik helped the Ugandan government in procuring foreign technology and experts. He signed a contract with the Harris Corporation to set up a satellite station in Arua; he personally profited from this deal.[2] Honey and Ottaway also claimed that Malik "singlehandedly" recruited about 400 Pakistani experts to support Amin's regime,[2] although Singh stated that Finance Minister Moses Ali played a crucial role in bringing Pakistani personnel to Uganda.[6] Overall, hundreds of Pakistanis were aiding the Ugandan government by 1978, providing crucial technical support in a military and civilian capacity.[7][8]

When the Uganda–Tanzania War erupted in 1978, Malik and his associate Justice Mohamed Said attempted to bolster Amin's government.[9] He was among the last loyalists of the Ugandan government,[10] although both he as well as Said fled the country before the Fall of Kampala to Tanzanian-led troops in April 1979. The two Pakistanis managed to cross the border to Kenya, although their Mercedes-Benz cars were confiscated by Amin's guards for their own escape.[11]