LAHORE, March 17 The Punjab government on Tuesday appointed a junior Intelligence Bureau (IB) official director-general of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) in what sources claimed violation of the institution's rules.

This is for the first time in the history of Punjab that an IB official has been posted ACE head.

Rana Abdur Rahim, a BS-19 OSD at the services and general administration department (S&GAD), was posted in place of Tariq Salim Dogar, a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), in his own pay and scale.

Dogar was posted ACE chief by the previous government in May last year because of his reputation of a clean and stern officer.

According to officials, only a DMG, PSP or PCS officer of at least BS-20 could be appointed ACE director-general.

It was claimed that Rahim was posted on the recommendation of an important person in the federal government. He had allegedly made public a telephonic conversation between the then Lahore High Court judge Malik Muhammad Qayyum and the defunct Ehtesab Bureau chairman Saifur Rehman regarding the case of the late Benazir Bhutto. He has recently been promoted to BS-19.

Meanwhile, OSD Jamal Mustafa Syed was posted Rawalpindi DCO. Muhammad Qasim Siddiqui, Depalpur DDO (R), under transfer as Ahmedpur Sial DDO (R), has been directed to report to the S&GAD.

On his reinstatement in service, Shaffique Abbas Shah has been posted Ahmedpur Sial DDO (R) against a vacant post.

Mir Haroon Rashid, protocol officer at the office of advocate general, has been transferred and posted assistant director (coordination) in the directorate of ACE against a vacant post on deputation basis.