Pakistani PM meets new ISI chief

Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday met Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar, the new director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency.

Lt. Gen. Akhtar, who took office Nov 7, discussed with Sharif the situation in North Waziristan, and the role ISI can play in putting an end to the Pakistan-Afghanistan cross border terrorist infiltration, Dawn online reported.

This was the first meeting between the prime minister and Lt. Gen. Akhtar after he took office as director general.

They further discussed what role the ISI could play in improving the overall law and order situation in the country.

The premier and the director general also discussed the possibilities of how to deal with terrorist hideouts in settled areas of the country other than the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA).

Considered a close aide of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Akhtar is a graduate of the Command and Staff College in Quetta, National Defence University and the Army War College, US.

He is from the Frontier Force Regiment and commanded the infantry brigade and infantry division in FATA.