The Intelligence Bureau (Urdu: انٹیلی جنس بیورو) is Pakistan’s premier civilian security agency, operating under the administrative control of the Prime Minister’s Office. It is primarily responsible for collecting, analysing, and disseminating intelligence related to internal security, counter-terrorism, counter-espionage, and economic threats. Established in 1947 following Pakistan’s formation as a new State, IB traces its institutional origins to the colonial era Thuggee and Dacoity Department founded in 1830 under British rule. Over the decades, IB has evolved into a key component of Pakistan’s national security architecture, tasked with safeguarding sensitive government institutions, monitoring subversive and extremist activities, and supporting law enforcement agencies in maintaining internal stability. In 2024, the organization was elevated to the status of a Division, marking a significant milestone in its development.
History The Intelligence Bureau (IB) traces its origins to 1830, when the Thuggee and Dacoity Department was established by the British colonial administration under Captain William Henry Sleeman, appointed as General Superintendent by Governor-General Lord William Bentinck. Its primary mandate was to suppress organized gangs of thugs and dacoits who targeted caravans and traders across the Indian subcontinent.
In 1863, following the reorganization of police forces, the department was retained under the Foreign Department to operate in the Native States. Its role was expanded to include the collection of intelligence on organized crimes that transcended provincial and state boundaries. By 1887, the department’s mandate was formally broadened to collect, compare, and analyze intelligence on organized criminal networks, providing inputs to both local and imperial governments to aid in the maintenance of law and order.
In 1904, it was restructured and renamed the Central Criminal Intelligence Department, with H. A. Stuart appointed as its first Director and D. E. McCracken as Deputy Director. The Central Criminal Intelligence Department's functions were widened to include intelligence gathering on inter-provincial organized crime, currency forgery, arms trafficking, and the maintenance of a central fingerprint bureau for criminal records.
In 1912, the organization was redesignated as the Central Intelligence Bureau, with an expanded charter encompassing political intelligence, particularly regarding political movements, Afghanistan, and investigations into political crimes.
By 1935, the Central Intelligence Bureau's responsibilities extended further to include the protection of sensitive government records, inquiries into security-related matters, and the provision of regular intelligence briefings to provincial governors on the political and administrative situation in their territories.
Following the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the Central Intelligence Bureau was reorganized as the Intelligence Bureau, with its headquarters initially established in Karachi under its first director, G. Ahmed. The headquarters were later moved to Rawalpindi in 1962.
A significant reorganization took place in 1994, when the bureau was restructured on the pattern of the national police system, expanding its presence across the country. The nomenclature of officers and officials was standardized, and this structure continues to remain in place.
In 2015, the bureau underwent a major modernization and expansion phase, introducing advanced technical infrastructure, surveillance systems, and the establishment of specialized counter-terrorism investigation teams trained to address threats to national security in a systematic manner.
In 2024, the bureau was formally elevated to the status of a division, marking a milestone in its institutional development and operational independence.
Structure The Intelligence Bureau Division operates directly under the Prime Minister, who serves as its Minister-in-Charge. It has a centralized command structure headed by the Director General (DG), who is a grade-22 officer and ex-officio Federal Secretary. The DG is supported by senior officers and specialized operational and administrative wings.
Wings The Bureau is organized into a number of specialized Wings, and field units; each responsible for specific intelligence domain and area of responsibility. Some of the major wings of the organization deal with subjects like domestic counter intelligence; countering terrorism through collecting and analyzing intelligence on terrorist/extremist networks, and militant activities; internal security; economic intelligence focusing on financial crimes, economic threats, hoarding, smuggling, and financial intelligence gathering; foreign liaison; technical operations; research and analysis.
Designations The Intelligence Bureau has a hierarchical personnel structure with ranks corresponding to Basic Pay Scales (BPS). The DG (BPS-22) serves as the head of the organization, supported by multiple tiers of command and operational officers. Recruited officers undergo structured training at the Intelligence Bureau Academy, preparing them for both operational and analytical roles within the organization. Director Generals Since Pakistan’s independence in 1947, Intelligence Bureau Pakistan has been led by a succession of heads drawn from military as well as civilian backgrounds. Traditionally, the head of the agency held the title Director, but starting in December 1994 the title was changed to director general, a BS-22 officer who reports directly to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Following the 2024 elevation of the Intelligence Bureau to the status of a division of the federal government, the director general also serves as the ex-officio Secretary to the Intelligence Bureau Division. Sr. No. Portrait Director IB From To 1 G. Ahmed, PSP 1947 1949 2 S. Kazim Raza, PSP 1949 1953 3 M. H. Khan Bangali, PSP 1953 1957 4 M. Anwar Ali, PSP 1957 1960 5 A. B. Awan, PSP 1960 1967 6 N. A. Rizwi, PSP 1967 1971 7 M. Anwar Ali, PSP 1972 1973 8 M. Akram Sheikh, PSP 1973 1977 9 M. Saghir Anwar, PSP 1977 1979 10 Khwaja Masrur Husain, PSP 1979 1985 11 Maj. Gen. Agha Nek Muhammad 1985 1986 12 M. Aslam Hayat, PSP 1986 1988 13 Sardar Noor Elahi Leghari, PSP 1989 1990 14 Brig. (Retd) Imtiaz Ahmed 1990 1993 15 Sardar Noor Elahi Leghari, PSP 1993 1994 16 Major (Retd) Masood Sharif Khan 1994 1996 17 Major General (Retd) Talat Munir 2001 2003 18 Brig. (Retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah, HI, SI(M), T.Bt 2004 2008 19 Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle, PSP 2008 2009 20 Javed Noor, PSP 2009 2011 21 Aftab Sultan, PSP 2011 201822Shujaat Ullah Qureshi, IB20182018 23 Dr. Muhammad Sulaman Khan, PSP 2018 2022 24 Fuad Asadullah Khan, H.I., S.St., T.St., nsc 2022 PresentThroughout IB’s history, a number of its personnel have lost their lives in the line of duty. Their sacrifices reflect the Bureau’s continuous involvement in sensitive security operations and its role in supporting the state’s internal security framework. Sr. No. Name & Designation Date of Martyrdom 1 Abdul Rashid, Sub Inspector 1981 2 Abdul Latif Baloch, Sub Inspector 1993 3 Habib Khan, Head Constable 1995 4 Muhammad Sarwar, Inspector 1996 5 Baitullah Khan, Assistant Director 2004 6 Khubaz Khan, Inspector 2004 7 Khan Sardar, Sub Inspector 2005 8 Nazar Muhammad, Stenographer 2007 9 M. Javed Hassan, Sub Inspector 2007 10 Liaquat Ali, Sub Inspector 2007 11 Nisar Ali, Director 2008 12 Fazal-ur-Rehman, Sub Inspector 2008 13 M. Ibrahim, Sub Inspector 2008 14 Khaliq-uz-Zaman, Inspector 2008 15 Javed Iqbal, Sub Inspector 2009 16 M. Dil Nawaz Khan, Inspector 2009 17 M. Tanveer Raza, Inspector 2009 18 Muhammad Irfan 2010 19 Abdullah Jan Tareen, Inspector 2010 20 Abdul Razzaq, Inspector 2011 21 Arshad Ali Ghayas, Assistant Sub Inspector 2011 22 Sirajuddin, Assistant Director 2011 23 Bashir Khan, Inspector 2012 24 Syed Qamar Raza Naqvi, Inspector 2012 25 Maqbool Hussain, Sub Inspector 2012 26 Abdul Hanan, Assistant Sub Inspector 2012 27 Ashok Kumar 2013 28 Syed Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Inspector 2013 29 Mazhar Ali, Inspector 2013 30 Qamar Anees, Assistant Sub Inspector 2014 31 Usman Gul, Inspector 2016 32 Riaz Ahmed, Constable 2017 33 Syed Hubdar Hussain Shah, Naib Constable 2017 34 Khan Bahadur, Sub Inspector 2021 35 Muzahir Hussain Bangash, Stenotypist 2022 36 Amjad Khan, Assistant Sub Inspector 2022 37 Najeeb-ur-Rehman, Assistant Sub Inspector 2022 38 Kifayat Ullah, Assistant Sub Inspector 2022 39 Shaukat Mehboob, Inspector 2022 40 Sultan Ayaz Khan, Sub Inspector 2024 41 Shahid Anwar, Inspector 2025
Employment and training Officers in Basic Scales (BS) 16 and 17 are recruited through the Federal Public Service Commission. The selection process typically involves a multi-stage examination, beginning with a multiple-choice screening test, followed by an English descriptive examination, a psychological assessment, and a final interview.
Personnel in BS-14 and below are generally inducted through internal recruitment processes. Upon selection, all new recruits undergo structured training programmes conducted at the Intelligence Bureau Academy. The training curriculum is designed to build operational, analytical, and field intelligence skills required for service in the organization and involves rigorous physical training.
Operations Details of some of the operations undertaken by IB are given below:
1989
In 1989, IB exposed a plot aimed at toppling Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s government through a vote of no confidence. Acting on intelligence that two serving ISI officers, Brigadier Imtiaz Ahmed and Major Mohammad Aamer, were attempting to bribe Pakistan Peoples Party parliamentarians.
2010
In April 2010, IB allegedly recruited Madhuri Gupta, a Second Secretary in the press and information wing of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, who was later arrested in New Delhi on espionage charges.
2013
In 2013, IB apprehended three members of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in Karachi who were directly involved in the bombing attack on Justice Maqbool Baqir of the Sindh High Court. The operation dismantled a key sectarian terrorism cell operating in the city and was regarded as a major counter-terrorism success in Karachi’s security crackdown.
2019
In 2019 after Indian airstrikes in Pakistan's Balakot, IB managed to bust whole ring of local informers that mapped and provided crucial operations to Indian RAW which helped IAF in locating its targets.
2021
In July 2021, IB disrupted an information and intelligence network of Indian intelligence agency RAW operating in Pakistan. A militant, Salimullah, was apprehended while filming strategic military installations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent investigation led to the exposure of an espionage network allegedly directed by an RAWoperative based in Germany. According to official sources, the network had recruited individuals across Pakistan through fake social media profiles and tasked them with collecting information on sensitive military sites.