The Punjab government has appointed Rao Abdul Kareem as the new Inspector General of Punjab Police, replacing Dr Usman Anwar in a significant reshuffle of the province’s law enforcement leadership.
The decision was made after consultations between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Rao Abdul Kareem is a seasoned police officer with nearly three decades of experience in law enforcement and administration. He joined the Police Service of Pakistan in 1996 after qualifying through the Central Superior Services examination.
Career and Achievements of Rao Abdul Kareem
Kareem has held several key positions in both urban and rural policing across Punjab. He has served as Superintendent of Police in Lahore and as District Police Officer in Mianwali, Kasur, and Jhang.
His leadership roles also include Regional Police Officer in Gujranwala and Deputy Inspector General of Telecommunications and Transport in Sindh.
He has previously worked as Additional Inspector General with the Punjab Highway Patrol, overseeing highway security and traffic enforcement. Over the past year, he served as Inspector General of the Special Branch Punjab, focusing on intelligence and internal security.
Earlier in his career, Rao Abdul Kareem was the Director of Immigration at the Federal Investigation Agency, where he managed border security and immigration matters.
Dr Usman Anwar Appointed FIA Chief
Dr Usman Anwar, the outgoing Punjab Police chief, has been appointed as Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency. He joined the Punjab Police in 1995 and previously served as Additional Inspector General of the Motorway Police and as Director of FIA Lahore.
Dr Anwar has held several key posts, including Additional Inspector General of the Special Branch Punjab and District Police Officer of Okara and Sargodha.
Other Law Enforcement Changes
In addition to these appointments, Raja Riffat Mulhtar has been posted to the Narcotics Control Division as part of the wider police and security reshuffle in Punjab.
