Dr Muhammad Suleman Khan new Intelligence Bureau chief

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday appointed the new head of top civilian intelligence agency Intelligence Bureau (IB) — a significant move that comes months before the general elections.

The role of the civilian intelligence agency is being termed very vital after the top polls body decided to seek its help during scrutiny of intending candidates in the upcoming elections.

Dr Muhammad Suleman Khan, a senior police officer who was promoted by premier Abbasi to BPS-22 last week, would hold the IB's top office from now. “Dr Suleman Khan, a BS-22 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, who is serving in the Intelligence Bureau, is promoted to BPS-22 in that service with immediate effect. On promotion the officer is transferred and posted as IB DG till the further order,” read the notification issued by Qaiser Khan Khattak of the Establishment Division on Monday.

Officials who have served with Mr Khan told this correspondent that he was currently serving as the Joint Director General IB and looking after intelligence affairs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During his stay in the IB, he got arrested over 1,000 jet black terrorists and criminals with head money, they added.

Important cases resolved in his career here at the IB, namely attacks on the Peshawar Judicial Complex, attack on Islamabad district courts, Wagah border blast and Peshawar Meena Bazaar blast, which involved dozens of foreign terrorists. The new DG IB, who is also not in good health as what his colleagues said, has to face many Herculean tasks ahead. Mr Khan has developed his authority over an international proscribed organisation, they added.

“He reported on Daesh regional networks before anybody even knew its presence in Pakistan,” one of his colleagues told this correspondent. Mr Khan also has been involved in successful operations against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, 313 Brigade, Jamaatul Ahrar and al-Qaeda in the country, added his colleague.

As the senior-most police officer he has been extending cooperation to the Counter Terrorism Department and security forces as CCPO Peshawar, DIG Mardan and Hazara in KP.

Senior IB officials further said that the new DG also served in the FIA and perhaps he was the pioneer of the CTD in the KP province. It’s also said that he has no political alignment. “That’s a good decision. He’s an outstanding officer having astounding successes in CT field. He is completely dedicated to his job, no political alignment, thorough professional. It’s hoped he takes the IB to the next level of modernisation and efficiency. He uses most modern tools very effectively for collection of CT intelligence. He established IB-CTD liaison which provided excellent results in counter terrorism drive,” one of his senior colleagues told Geo News.

Many seasoned analysts, however, said the new DG IB has Herculean tasks ahead. His job is tough. The role of civilian agency has become crucial ahead of new polls, in terms of facilitating the civilian government to deal with multi-pronged challenges ranging from counterterrorism to deal with hostile agencies in the country, they added.