A career army special forces officer, he was responsible for conducting paramilitary operations and infiltrating Kashmiri militants on the Indian side of the Line of Control, which subsequently led to the Kargil War.

He resigned from his post in September 1999 following the intense pressure on Pakistan from international community to withdraw its military forces from Kargil.

[1] Ashraf Rashid joined the Pakistan Army in 1964 and had participated in Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 as a Junior non-commissioned officer (JNCO).

As a special service officer, Rashid was promoted as a Brigadier-General and was later sent to Siachen where he along with then-Brigadier-General Parvez Musharraf, participated in the conflict.

Before becoming Commander of the Special Service Group commando division, Rashid was Director General of Military Operations, succeeding Jehangir Karamat, who became Chief of Army Staff.