Brigadier Saif was commissioned in Pakistan Army Education Corps in 1990. He acquired PhD from Quaid e Azam University in Asian Studies/ IR. Significant appointments included analyst in Ministry of Defence, also an extended tenure at National Defence University Islamabad as Director Research & Publications, founding HoD MPhil programme of National Security and War Course, founding Director BS Programme, Editor NDU journal, Margalla Papers and ISSRA papers. Authored four books on Research Methodology along with a number of research articles in national and international journals.