▁head ed ▁the ▁Naval ▁Int elligence ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁as ▁its ▁Director - General . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 – 0 5 , ▁C d re . ▁I q bal ▁head ed ▁the ▁Naval ▁Int elligence , ▁and ▁was ▁eventually ▁promoted ▁as ▁two - star ▁assignment . ▁▁ ▁On ▁ 2 4 ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁R Ad m ▁I q bal ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁Com b ined ▁Task ▁Force ▁ 1 5 0 ▁at ▁the ▁N AV C ENT ▁in ▁Bah rain ▁when ▁he ▁rel ieved ▁Dutch ▁Com mod ore ▁H ank ▁Ort ▁and ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁Force . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁R Ad m ▁I q bal ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁by ▁German ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Heinrich ▁L ange , ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁Pakistan . R Ad m ▁I q bal ▁was ▁noted ▁for ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁as ian ▁adm iral ▁of ▁a ▁" reg ional ▁nation " ▁who ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁coal ition ▁task ▁forces ▁that ▁compr ise ▁the ▁Com b ined ▁Mar itime ▁Force . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁R Ad m ▁I q bal ▁was ▁appointed ▁at ▁the ▁Navy ▁N H Q ▁in ▁Islam abad ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁appointed ▁as ▁DC NS ▁( Oper ations ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁R ear - Ad mir al ▁I q bal ▁became ▁the ▁senior ▁fleet ▁commander ▁when