ISLAMABAD, April 13: Maj (retired) M. Imtiaz and Usman Zakaria are likely to be appointed as Inspector General and Senior Superintendent of Police Islamabad, respectively.

Sources told Dawn on Sunday that both the officials were strong candidates and the high command of the ruling party was considering their names for the posts.

The two are considered as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) loyalists, the sources said, adding during the PPP’s past tenure they had been appointed on key posts.

Mr Imtiaz was appointed as chief security officer of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto when she arrived in Karachi after ending her self-exile on October 18.

He is an SSP rank officer but his promotion was due for the last seven to eight years, the sources said, adding his promotion case was pending with the authority concerned.

He is likely to be promoted to grade 20 and then appointed as IGP.

Earlier, newly appointed IGP Sindh Dr Shoaib Suddle, DIG National Highways and Motorway Police Pervaiz Rathore and an additional inspector general of police at the Police Academy Islamabad were also considered for the post of city police chief.

The name of Usman Zakaria, personal staff officer to director general Federal Investigation Agency, is being taken for the post of SSP Islamabad after the PPP emerged as the biggest party in the elections.

Mr Zakaria had served in the capital police as assistant superintendent of police in the past.