Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar takes over as new Pakistan intelligence chief

Lt Gen Rizwan Akhtar has taken over as the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), succeeding retired Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, who retired Friday.

Lt Gen Akhtar has previously served as DG Rangers Sindh to maintain the law and order situation in Karachi.

He had also served as Commander Infantry Brigade and Infantry Division of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in addition to serving as General Officer Commanding (GOC) south Waziristan.

In 2008, when he was a brigadier, Akhtar had attended the US Army War College in Pennsylvania.

An academic paper he wrote there articulated that Pakistan 'must aggressively pursue rapprochement with India'.

The comment has led to speculation that Akhtar might reach out to Delhi.