ISLAMABAD : The residents of federal capital may be in for some relief as the incumbent interior minister, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, has directed removal of all unnecessary policy checkpoints across Islamabad.

Ahmed said people will no longer face difficulties due to the checkpoints. “Police has been handed over six vehicles equipped with the latest technology,” said the interior minister. “It will be provided with eight more vehicles for security purpose.”

The Islamabad Police has begun implementing on Ahmed’s directives and replaced all checkpoints, except those in the Red Zone, with mobile checkpoints.

This is not Ahmed’s first stint as a minister for interior. In his political careers spanning over 35 years, the veteran politician has held 15 ministries.

Ahmed first became a minister in 1991 when he was appointed federal minister for industries during Nawaz Sharif’s maiden government. He also held the portfolio of culture ministry in the same cabinet.

In Nawaz’s second tenure, Ahmed was given federal ministries of sports, culture, and tourism. Later, in the same cabinet, he was made federal minister for youth affairs, manpower development, labour, and overseas Pakistanis.

In 2002, Ahmed was made the federal minister for information under Zafarullah Khan Jamali’s premiership. In Shaukat Aziz’s cabinet, Ahmed was given dual portfolios of railways and information ministry.

When PM Imran Khan assumed office in 2018, Ahmed was given the railways ministry again. On December 11, the premier changed his portfolio, making him the federal interior minister.