Islamabad (PTI): Slain former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto's security advisor Rehman Malik was on Thursday appointed as advisor on interior and narcotics to new Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, hours after another close aide of her was named as Ambassador at Large.

An official notification said Malik, who was earlier head of the Federal Investigation Agency, will have the status of a federal minister in his new assignment.

The notification said President Pervez Musharraf had appointed Malik to the post on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Malik had been under a cloud after Bhutto was assassinated by a suicide attacker on December 27 last year as some sections of the Pakistan People's Party leadership had questioned the security arrangements he had made for the slain party chairperson.

Earlier in the day, Hussain Haqqani was appointed as Ambassador at Large for the new government formed by PPP and its allies.

Haqqani will also serve as senior advisor on foreign affairs and national security to Prime Minister Gillani, official sources said.

He had earlier served as the federal Information Secretary, High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and Press Assistant to former premiers Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Haqqani joined the team of Bhutto's close aides in 1993 and has been a steadfast ally of the PPP's top leadership.

Haqqani had to go into exile in 2001 after the regime of President Musharraf turned hostile against him. During Bhutto's years in exile, Haqqani emerged as a key advisor to her on ties with the US.