LAHORE: The Establishment Division has transferred SP Tassawar Iqbal, the security officer of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and put him at the disposal of the Punjab government to give him an ‘important’ assignment in Lahore.

There are reports that he has been picked from the federal government to replace SSP Operations Lahore Ali Raza who is expected to be sent to the federal government for a posting in Islamabad.

If posted as per the plan, SP Tassawar would be the second police officer being sent to Lahore for having close links with top leadership of the PML-N.

SP Tasaswar’s notification of his transfer was issued thrice by the Establishment Division. First, the security officer of the PM was transferred by the division on May 17 and a notification was issued accordingly. Later, another notification of cancellation of his transfer surfaced the same day when PM Shehbaz Sharif issued directions to retain Mr Tassawar in Islamabad.

However, on May 23, another notification was issued by the Establishment Division wherein he was transferred to Punjab government. Earlier, the official source says, DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran was also appointed in the same way.

The source says SSP Operations Lahore Ali Raza was conveyed about his new posting in Islamabad a couple of months back when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi made efforts and requested the PM for the transfer of two officers -- DIG Ali Nasir Rizvi and Ali Raza. Rizvi was to be posted as the Islamabad IG.

Though the federal government had issued the transfer order for Mr Rizvi, the Punjab CM refused to relieve him and the issue was delayed for weeks. Rizvi was finally transferred and posted as Islamabad IG but the matter of Ali Raza was still pending.

There were reports that Tassawar Iqbal is likely to replace Mr Raza in days to come.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2024