LAHORE, April 21: The PML-N-led Punjab government removed the Lahore police chief on Friday (April 20) in connection with the ongoing Sonia Naz rape case and the deteriorating police performance -- two more factors that led to the transfer of Malik Ahmad Raza Tahir, Dawn learnt.

DIG Tahir was made OSD. The Supreme Court will hear the Sonia Naz case on April 23 (tomorrow).

The provincial chief executive simultaneously made Mr Tahir an OSD and ordered a high-level inquiry against DIG (operation) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar (SSP-rank) in connection with a residential plot dispute involving three parties.

In the last hearing held in March this year, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had expressed his displeasure at the progress of Sonia Naz rape case submitted by the Punjab police and reprimanded the police for changing their stance.

The chief justice expressed his astonishment that former Faisalabad SP Ahmed Raza Tahir, against whom adverse findings were made in a judicial inquiry report, had been posted as Regional Police Officer (RPO) Lahore.

Addressing the additional IG (investigation) Aslam Tareen over the matter, the CJP said, “It is an example of good governance of your province. He has been made RPO to confront the judiciary.”

Sources at CM’s Secretariat told Dawn that the Chief Minister Inspection Team chairman and his two-member team comprising DIG Maj Mubashirullah (retired) and Deputy Secretary (Law and Order) Muhammad Ahmad had already initiated inquiry regarding an application filed by one Dr Tariq who claimed that the DIG’s family was illegally occupying some portion of his plot situated at Sadaat Town on Baidian Road and was also patronising a third party.

They said CM Shahbaz Sharif after taking notice of the application called Mr Tahir to his office on Friday and asked him to surrender as he was already facing court cases.

Sources said the CM also gave Mr Tahir an implicit impression that Lahore police performance plummeted in his less-than-a-year tenure.

They said though the government gave Punjab additional IG (Investigation) Muhammad Aslam Tareen an additional charge of the post, it was likely that he would continue with his new task.

Mr Tareen assumed the charge of office on Saturday. Earlier, the Lahore High Court had declared the appointment of Mr Tahir as CCPO Lahore illegal in May 2010 in connection with Gojra riots (2009).

Mr Tahir is likely to be posted as Commandant Punjab Constabulary, the post is lying vacant for the last few weeks apparently to accommodate him.

They further said as Ghulam Mehmood Dogar was too likely to be removed in the wake of the ongoing inquiry and his association with Mr Tahir, police authorities recommended to the CM the name of AIG (logistics) Rai Muhammad Tahir as new DIG (operation).

Meanwhile, sources said DIG Mubashirullah visited the site of disputed land on Friday and started recording statements of both sides, besides identifying two disputed ‘Khasaras’.

Mr Dogar, when contacted, claimed that his real sister owned one kanal and six marla plot and it was under construction for the last few months.

He said Dr Tariq, who is neighbour of his sister and earlier developed a property dispute with another neighbour Chaudhry Iftikhar (who claimed 1.5 kanal share from Tariq’s property), alleged: “I (Dogar) am supporting my sister and illegally occupying Tariq’s 10-marla portion which is totally baseless.” According to Dogar, Tariq grabbed eight kanals in the area.

Dogar said Dr Tariq, who was pressing the police for construction of a damaged wall even against a stay order obtained by Chaudhry Iftikhar, also managed to get a stay against the construction of his sister’s house a month ago.

DIG Mubashirullah said the dispute of land, which was not even demarcated by the revenue department, involved at least five parties. He said Dr Tariq, who possessed 25-kanal land, alleged in his application that Mr Dogar, whose father actually owned the plot, blocked Mr Tariq’s way by creating hurdles and occupied his 10-marla piece of land.

The DIG said Dr Tariq also alleged that a third party led by Chauhdry Iftikhar damaged his boundary wall and he (Iftikhar) had support of Mr Dogar.

He said the inquiry might take several days as the land record since 1931 to date was being verified by the Punjab revenue department, adding it was premature to establish Dogar’s involvement in the land dispute.