*ISLAMABAD:* The important appointment of Director General (DG) of theIntelligence Bureau (IB) in place of the recently retired DG Aftab Sultanis still pending, according to a* local news outlet.*link>

According to the report, all administrative, financial and operationalmatters that require the approval of IB DG are now pending.

DG is the final authority of the IB and it is not advisable for a sensitiveagency to stay without a DG even for a few hours, let alone days, anofficial told the publication.

A number of names are under consideration for the IB DG appointment but noname has been finalised as of yet. Commandant Academy Mehr Khaliq Dad Lak,IB Joint Director Fawad Asadullah and IB Joint Director Dr Suleman Khan aresome of the officials that are being considered for the post.

Punjab Inspector General Police Arif Nawaz Khan, Federal InvestigationAgency DG Bashir Ahmed Memon, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA)National Coordinator Ihsan Ghani, IB Joint Director Shujaatullah Qureshiand National Police Bureau DG Shaukat Hayat are also being considered.

Fawad Asadullah, Dr Suleman and Shujaatullah Qureshi are officers of basicpay scale 21. All other officers belong to Police Service of Pakistan andare serving in BPS-22.

The rest of the police officers are on deputation in the respectivedepartments with the exception of Arif Nawaz.