Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has dismissed two senior officials, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General (DG) Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General (IG) of Police Akhtar Hayat, from their positions.
The federal government removed DG FIA Ahmed Jehangir and reassigned him as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Establishment Division following reports of the agency’s mismanagement in handling migrant boat tragedies. The decision came after PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed dissatisfaction with FIA’s inefficiency in curbing human smuggling during a high-level meeting of the task force on human smuggling prevention on Tuesday.
According to an official notification, Ahmed Ishaque Jehangir, a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, was transferred with immediate effect due to his poor handling of investigations related to boat capsizing incidents and the ongoing issue of illegal migration, allegedly facilitated by FIA staff.
FIA Crackdown and Migration Tragedies
The dismissal of DG FIA Jehangir coincided with a broader crackdown, where over 40 FIA officials across Pakistan were terminated due to their suspected involvement in human smuggling. Legal cases have been initiated against them.
The crackdown was prompted by a recent migrant boat disaster off the Moroccan coast, where at least 50 people, including 66 Pakistanis, lost their lives this month. Additionally, an interior ministry team was dispatched to Morocco to investigate the tragedy.
Earlier, another catastrophic event occurred on December 13-14, 2024, when a migrant boat sank near Greece, resulting in 80 Pakistani fatalities. One of the deadliest incidents in recent history remains the Greek boat tragedy of 2023, in which a fishing trawler carrying migrants capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, leading to the deaths of hundreds, including 262 Pakistanis.
New Appointments in FIA and KP Police
Following Jehrangir’s removal, Additional DG FIA Jan Muhammad has been appointed as the acting Director General of FIA with the prime minister’s approval.
In another major reshuffle, Punjab Special Branch Additional Inspector General (AIG) Zulfiqar Hameed has been transferred and posted as the new IG of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Zulfiqar Hameed’s Farewell Ceremony at Special Branch Punjab
A farewell gathering was held at the Special Branch Headquarters’ Roberts Club in honor of Zulfiqar Hameed. IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar attended the event, where he extended his congratulations and best wishes to Hameed.
During the gathering, Dr. Usman Anwar praised Hameed’s contributions to the Special Branch Punjab, particularly in infrastructure development, transitioning to paperless operations, and introducing modern reforms.
As a token of appreciation, IG Punjab presented Hameed with a bouquet, while senior officials of the Special Branch honored him with gifts, souvenirs, and floral bouquets.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including DIG Security & Administration Syed Khurram Ali Shah, DIG Intelligence Faisal Ali Raja, DIG VIP Security Tauseef Haider, and SSP Headquarters Muaz Zafar.
Hameed’s Role as KP IG
With Zulfiqar Hameed’s appointment as the Inspector General of Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, his leadership is expected to introduce progressive reforms in the province’s policing system, strengthening law enforcement and security operations.
