ISLAMABAD, Jan 20: Inspector General of Islamabad Police Syed Kaleem Imam was on Thursday night removed and directed to report to the Establishment Division as officer on special duty (OSD), sources told Dawn.

Additional Inspector General of Sindh Police Wajid Durrani has been appointed as the new IGP Islamabad.

Mr Durrani, who remained in jail for three years in connection with the Murtaza Bhutto murder case, is said to be a close friend of President Asif Ali Zardari. The sources said officers appointed on the recommendation of the prime minister were being replaced gradually with the favourites of the president.

Kaleem Imam had developed differences with the interior minister on different issues, including recruitment of constables and assistant sub-inspectors in the capital police, the sources said.

Earlier, a summary was moved to the Establishment Division to replace him with a senior officer from Sindh or Balochistan on October 25 but no action was taken in this regard.