The Sindh government has sent the top police chief on leave, it emerged Monday

Sindh Inspector General AD Khawaja confirmed he has been sent on 15-day leave while sources said the Sindh government has decided to remove him.

The sources added that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah met the IG on Sunday and asked him to go on leave.

The federal government has refused to remove the IG from his position, the sources informed Dawn.

They revealed that the IG's imminent removal is likely due to several issues, including the Pakistan Peoples Party's desire to appoint Rao Anwar as senior superintendent police Malir as well as the subject of police recruitment in the province.

Additional Inspector General Mushtaq Meher has been appointed acting IG Sindh.

AD Khawaja was appointed as IG Sindh Police in March this year after the federal government removed former Sindh IGP Ghulam Hyder Jamali from his post.

Before his appointment as IG, Khawaja had been serving as Additional IG (special branch) and was also a member of an inquiry committee, along with Additional IG (counterterrorism) Dr Sanaullah Abbasi and Additional IG Naeem Shaikh, which was set up to probe illegal appointments.