Akhtar Hayat replaces Moazzam Ansari as K-P inspector general

The federal government on Thursday appointed BS-21 officer Akhtar Hayat as the new inspector general of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police.

According to a notification from the Establishment Division, Hayat is a 21-grade senior police officer currently serving at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

He has previously served as a deputy inspector general in Malakand as well as DIG of the Special Branch in the province.

Former K-P IGP Moazzam Jan Ansari has been asked to report back to the Establishment Division.

The development comes days after a suicide bomber breached high-level security at the provincial capital’s Police Lines area, blowing himself up at a packed mosque and claiming the lives of at least 100 people—mostly policemen.

Also read: Mosque bomber entered Police Lines disguised as cop, says K-P IG

Police said the suicide bomber wore a police constable’s uniform and a helmet and mask and reached the blast site riding a motorcycle. Former IG Moazzam Jah Ansari said the bomber had been identified as a member of a militant network, adding that the terrorist was not alone in the attack, rather a whole network was supporting him.

An initial investigation report had declared the blast a case of security lapse.

Following the bombing, provincial caretaker chief minister Azam Khan had constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) led by a DIG-ranked officer to investigate the attack and the security lapse.