ISLAMABA – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has appointed Dr Suleman Khan as new director general (DG) of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), a civil spy agency.
The appointment was made after more than a month the slot fell vacant following the retirement of Aftan Sultan. A notification in this regard has been issued Monday evening.
The new civilian spymaster, who is a career-police officer, was heading the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter of the bureau as a joint director on deputation before his promotion to basic pay scale 22 from 21. He has to his credit multiple anti-terrorism and intelligence-based operations in the province.
In another major reshuffle in the civil agency, the government has appointed Academy Commandant of the IB Mehr Khaliqdad Lak as National Police Academy (NPA) commandant, which is administratively controlled by the Ministry of Interior.
Suleman Khan, after taking charge as the new DG IB, would appoint commandant IB Academy. The IB does not report to any department or ministry under the prime minister.
The name of the new IB head was decided during a top-level meeting in Islamabad on Thursday last week. Three names – IB Academy Commandant Mehr Khaliq Dad Lak, IB Joint Director Fawad Asadullah and Dr Suleman – were reportedly under consideration of the premier.
