KARACHI, June 13: Former Punjab inspector-general of police Ziaul Hasan, a retired major, was posted as the new Sindh IGP on Wednesday. Former Sindh IG Jahangir Mirza relinquished charge on April 14 upon attaining the age of superannuation.

In a telephone conversation with Dawn, the Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Home Affairs, Waseem Akhtar, confirmed IGP Hasan’s appointment.

“Orders for the appointment of Mr Ziaul Hasan as IGP have been issued and he may assume charge in a couple of days,” said Mr Akhtar.

Mr Hasan, who will reach the superannuation age within six months, served as IGP Punjab from June 2005 to December 2006 and then was transferred to the National Police Academy. Other positions held by him include head of the motorway police.

Earlier, the Establishment Division Islamabad had named for the Sindh IGP post former Punjab IGP Malik Asif Hayat, a retired major, currently working as secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis.

He declined the new responsibility on medical grounds. Subsequently, the Establishment Division took two months to deliberate over other candidates. Mr Akhtar and the government of Sindh had earlier expressed the view that the new IGP Sindh should belong to Sindh. In the past, Mr Akhtar has used his influence to have cancelled the appointment orders of IGPs from other provinces.

Sources said that government functionaries are perturbed by the recent appointment, alleging that former IGP Jahangir Mirza, who belonged to the Punjab police, was unable to improve police performance. Mr Mirza was accused of paying 30 visits to Islamabad and Lahore during his tenure in Sindh, while paying only five visits to the interior of Sindh.