LAHORE, Dec 15: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz led Punjab government is likely to transfer at least eight district police officers, most of them on ‘political’ grounds, to accommodate the likes and dislikes of the party legislators from these areas ahead of the general elections, Dawn has learnt.
The posts of Sahiwal and Okara DPOs have already been lying vacant for the last 33 and 17 days, respectively, because the government had reportedly rejected the summaries for the posting of new officers sent by the provincial police chief.
Similarly, the government also paid no heed to the third summary sent for the selection of new Kasur DPO after the incumbent officer, SSP Syed Khurram Ali, had requested the authorities for his transfer around a week ago.
Sahiwal Investigation SP Malik Iqbal (an officer from ranks) and Regional Investigation Branch SP Ehsaan Manzoor are currently holding the acting charge of Sahiwal and Okara DPOs, respectively.
Sources at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat told Dawn that the DPOs of Kasur, Lodhran, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Chiniot and Sargodha were expected to be transferred.
The sources said rising political interference in police affairs and ‘defiance’ to such pressures by some of these DPOs who wanted to uphold merit in policing, was one of the factors behind the expected administrative reshuffles. The officers who had been serving as DPOs for longer periods were also on the ‘transfer hit list’, they added.
The sources said the summaries of SSPs Mujahid Akbar and Capt Atta Muhammad (retired) were not yet considered by the chief minister.
They said the name of Lodhran DPO Agha Yousaf, who wanted to be relieved after serving for three years in the district, was being considered for Okara slot, adding SP Malik Iqbal, who enjoyed backing of local PML-N legislators, might continue as Sahiwal DPO on acting basis.
The sources said keeping in view the upcoming general elections, PML-N and PML-Q unification block legislators and politicians had started interfering in transfers and postings of police officers in their respective districts and the party leadership had no other choice but to give them due weight to help them keep intact their vote bank.
They said the latest example was the re-posting of Akhtar Ali Khan as Okara Investigation SP on Thursday. Mr Khan, who had been facing some health problems and had to be hospitalised a couple of months ago, was transferred along with the Okara DPO on Nov 27.
A PML-Q unification block MPA, joining hands with his two PML-N colleagues, got Khan transferred to influence an inquiry, the sources said, adding however, another PML-N MPA later got the officer reposted in Okara. The SP is still reportedly hospitalised.
