Caretakers transfer IB chief in spree of bureaucratic reshuffle

ISLAMABAD - The interim government led by Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk made another round of massive changes in the federal bureaucracy on Friday.

Dr Muhammad Suleman Khan, a grade-22 officer who has been director general of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) since May 7 this year, was made national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).

Lt Cdr Ihsan Ghani, who belongs to the police service, will now head the IB though he is set to retire in August this year.

Moreover, the government took back within three days its decision about the transfer of information secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera in the light of Supreme Court’s directives.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/nsa-nasser-janjua-tenders-surprise-resignation/

Mr Sukhera, a grade-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS), who had been earlier transferred as education secretary, was made information secretary again in latest shuffle.

Arshad Mirza, also a grade-22 officer of PAS, who was posted as information secretary, has been made education secretary.

Additionally, Usman Akhtar Bajwa, a grade-20 officer, who was working as Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, has been directed to report to the Establishment Division.

Ishrat Ali, a grade-21 officer of PAS, who was working as director general passports, has been made CDA chairman.

Besides changing the portfolios, the interim government has formally appointed Muhammad Saleem as new chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra). The post had been lying vacant since December last year after the ouster of Absar Alam by the Lahore High Court.

Mr Saleem, who was working as principal information officer, took charge of his new office on Friday.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had imposed a ban on new appointments after the date for the general elections were announced in April, however, after a hearing at the ECP, Mr Saleem’s name was approved because he had been appointed by the last PML-N government on the directives of the apex court in line with the formalities.