ISLAMABAD: The interim government on Friday made another round of large-scale changes in the federal bureaucracy.

Dr Muhammad Suleman Khan, a grade-22 officer of the police service 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). His predecessor retired Lt Cdr Ihsan Ghani, who also belongs to the police service, will now head the IB. Mr Ghani is set to retire in August this year. The government reverted within three days its decision about the transfer of information secretary Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera because of the Supreme Court’s directives.

Mr Sukhera, a grade-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS) who had been transferred as education secretary on June 26, was made information secretary again on Friday.

Sukhera brought back as information secretary within three days

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

Usman Akhtar Bajwa, a grade-20 officer of PAS 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.

Apart from changing the portfolios, the interim government has formally appointed Muhammad Saleem new chairman of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra). The post had been lying vacant since December last year.

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

It may be recalled that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had imposed a ban new appointments after the date for the general elections was announced in April. However, after a hearing at the ECP, Mr Saleem’s name was cleared because he had been appointed by the last PML-N government on the directives of the Supreme Court after fulfilling all formalities.

The PML-N government had also appointed Shaukat Hussain new chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on May 11, but an appeal against the decision has been filed in the ECP.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2018