New IGP Islamabad assumes charge 22 days after notification

• Dispute emerged between ministry, Punjab over appointment.
• New IG takes charge 22 days after his appointment.
• Ex-IGP Akbar Nasir Khan relinquished charge on March 30.
  

ISLAMABAD: Ali Nasir Rizvi, a BS 20 officer of police service of Pakistan, Monday assumed charge as the new inspector general of police in Islamabad, the Islamabad Police said in a statement on Monday.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the Islamabad Capital Police stated that the newly-appointed chief visited the Martyrs Memorial for fateha before assuming charge.

The new Islamabad IG took charge of office 22 days after his appointment notification was issued, as a dispute in relation to his appointment continued between the interior ministry and Punjab.

Rizvi was appointed after former IG Police Akbar Nasir Khan relinquished the charge on March 30. The new IG assumed office after he was relieved by the Punjab government.

He was earlier performing his duties as deputy inspector general operations Lahore and belongs to the 31st Common batch of the PSP. He has earlier also served as an assistant superintendent of police, superintendent of police, senior superintendent of police, city police chief, deputy inspector general in nine Punjab districts.

Ali Nasir Rizvi has also served in Balochistan.

In a The News report sources in the Punjab government said that permission must be taken from the provincial chief minister if an officer was required from Punjab in future.

In this regard, the Punjab government clarified its position to the Centre.

The Punjab government, as per the sources, was of the opinion that there is already shortage of officers in Punjab and that the Establishment Division should use its own officers.

The federal government wrote letters to Punjab to relieve Rizvi, but the province did not do so stating that the Centre transferred the officer without taking the provincial authorities in confidence.

Following Rizvi's appointment as IG, three senior deputy inspector generals in Islamabad — DIG Headquarter Hassan Raza, DIG Security Muhammad Awais and DIG Safe City and Traffic Shoaib Shoaib Janbaz —have all quit from their posts in protest, stating that he is a junior and refused to work under his supervision.

They were all on leaves before Rizvi's arrival in Islamabad, but joined duty following a delay in his assumption of office.

It was earlier suggested that a new panel should be sent to the cabinet but the federal government had not taken any decision in that regard. No DIG had been given temporary charge of the capital IGP.

The development, however, came after an understanding was reached between the federal government and Punjab on the matter.

A day earlier, The News had reported, citing Punjab government sources, that Rizvi will take charge of his post on Tuesday.

Earlier on April 19, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had sought a report from the government within two weeks on the non-appointment of a new IG Police in Islamabad.