Islamabad commissioner requests interim IG amid Punjab, centre deadlock

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chief Commissioner has requested the appointment of a caretaker inspector general of police in the capital city amid the tussle between Punjab and the federal governments over the matter, ARY News reported.

In a letter to the interior ministry, the chief commissioner requested to give additional charge of Islamabad IG to Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Hassan Raza.

He said that the departmental matters of the capital city police were facing hindrance owing to the absence of its chief as Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government has refused to relieve DIG Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi from his post in Punjab.

It is pertinent to mention that DIG Hassan Raza was among the three high-ranking officials who went on leave following the change of command in Islamabad.

The other two were DIG Awais Malik and DIG Shoaib Janbaz who requested leave after DIG Rizvi was appointed as Islamabad IG.

Read more: Senior police officials go on leave after ‘junior’ appointed as Islamabad IG

The federal government on March 29 appointed Ali Nasir Rizvi as Islamabad IG. He replaced Akbar Nasir who was directed to report to Establishment Division.

A grad 20 officer, the newly-appointed IG currently serves as DIG (Operations) Lahore.

Despite the federal government notifying Rizvi’s new role, the capital city police remain without its head as the federal and Punjab governments locked horns over his appointment.

According to sources, the Maryam Nawaz-led Punjab government refused to relieve Ali Nasir Rizvi from his post as DIG (Operations) Lahore.

The crucial position remains vacant as former IG Islamabad Akbar Nasir Khan was removed from the post last week and was asked to report to the Establishment Division.