Commodore Karimullah was appointed as ACNS (Personnel) but later posted as DCNS (Operations) under Admiral Fasih Bokhari– the Chief of Naval Staff.:xxi[1] After Admiral Admiral Bokhari resigned, he was promoted as Rear-Admiral and continued to served as DCNS (Operations) in 1999.:xxi[7][2] In 2000–01, he was promoted as Vice-Admiral and took over the command of Pakistan Fleet as its fleet commander.[6]