During his long career, he has held various important assignments and commanded a Unit, Brigade and later a division. He has also attended the Command and Staff College Quetta and the National Defence University Islamabad.
On 11 January 2013, Maqsood Ahmad was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General.[1][2] Later, he was given another key position as the Corps Commander of IV Corps, Lahore.[3]
On 26 August 2013, UN Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Maqsood Ahmad as Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations.[4][5] The last time a General of Pakistan was offered this position in 2009, when Ahmad Shuja Pasha was nominated for this position. However then Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani rather preferred to keep Pasha in Pakistan for important assignments.
On 18 January 2018, Former Corps Commander IV Corps & Deputy DG ISI Lt General (R) Maqsood Ahmad appointed Chairman Punjab Public Service Commission.
