LAHORE: The Punjab government removed the Gujranwala regional police officer (RPO) and the Nankana district police officer (DPO) from their posts on Monday and Sunday.

Both officers were shown the door after they failed to fulfill the ‘demands’ of PML-N politicians in their areas, Dawn learned on good authority on Monday.

Gujranwala RPO Saad Akhtar Bharwana was transferred just after 14 months of his posting and was directed to report to the provincial government. Sources said the provincial chief executive got annoyed with him for not entertaining legislators and not questioning the six DPOs under him whether they held frequent meetings with PML-N MNAs and MPAs.

The chief executive expressed his annoyance at a meeting in Lahore on Friday which was attended by the chief secretary, the Gujranwala commissioner, the RPO, district coordination officers, DPOs and public representatives of the division.

PML-N appeasing its MPs in changed scenario

Nankana DPO Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani, who got posting 10 months ago, was transferred by the Punjab police chief after the direction of the Punjab government. He lost the post for he failed to appease PML-N politicians, including a federal minister, sources privy to the transfers and upcoming administrative moves told Dawn.

They said a Nankana-based federal minister complained to the chief minister about not getting the “due protocol” from the DPO.

They said though the officer in question helped politicians in their genuine problems, he failed to pay personal visits to politicians, including the minister.

Sources said Mr Qaisarni, who got his first posting as DPO, was transferred against the wishes of the inspector general as the chief minister bypassed him.

They said more transfers in regional and district setups were on the cards.

They said transfers were being made to make the legislators happy after the top PML-N leadership started feeling the heat of well-attended protest meetings and sits-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek.

Sources said verbal messages from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat had been passed on to commissioners, RPOs, DCOs and DPOs to hold regular meetings with MNAs and MPAs of ruling party and entertain them.

“A majority of MNAs and MPAs are in the habit of asking unlawful things which the officers cannot fulfill,” said a field police officer.

The officer, who was not authorised officially so speak, said the recent wave of orders was aimed at keeping the ruling party’s legislators happy.

Another field officer said the Punjab government had always showed its double standards by posting suitable field officers and later removing them without any justification. He said police’s morale was already down after the Model Town incident and transfer of officers would worsen the matters.

DIG Dilawar Abbas and SP Kamran Yousaf Malik were picked for the two key field positions by the chief minister.

RPO Bharwana said he always upheld merit, listened to the legislators of all parties and redressed their genuine problems. He said he never patronised any political group and rejected their illegal demands, adding he was always available to the commoner as well.

A senior official at the Central Police Office, said both officers were transferred for not being accessible to PML-N parliamentarians.

Provincial Minister Colonel (retired) Shuja Khanzada, who was assigned the additional of interior ministry, could not be reached for comment.

Published in Dawn, October 14th, 2014