KARACHI: A committee constituted by Inspector General of Sindh Police A. D. Khowaja last month in compliance with an order of the Sindh High Court has prepared rules for posting of police officers from station house officer to additional inspector general /deputy inspector general of police for a fixed tenure and under the said rules it has also been recommended that a board is constituted at zone/range level to evaluate performance of field police officers biannually for possible premature transfer, Dawn has learnt.

The provincial police chief established the body in compliance with an SHC order dated Sept 7 to frame rules for transfer and posting of police officers.

The Sindh High Court, in its what has been perceived as a landmark judgment, declared that (as per contents of para 96 of the judgement) “the power of transfers and postings of police officers, at all levels, including PSP officers serving in the Sindh province, vests in the inspector general and is to be exercised by him in terms of rules or orders to be framed under Section 12 of the Police Rules, 1934”.

Board to be constituted to evaluate performance of field officers on a biannual basis

The court had also ordered that new rules be prepared within 30 days and should be approved by the provincial cabinet.

Sources on Sunday told Dawn that the committee had prepared draft rules under Section 12 of the Police Rules, 1934, setting out the manner in which the IGP is to exercise the power of transfers and postings in the police.

The sources said that the committee comprising senior police officers had suggested that posting of police officers from assistant superintendent of police to additional inspector general or deputy inspector general of police should be fixed for two years. It has also been recommended that deputy superintendent of police or station house officer (SHO) is posted for one year only.

They would not be removed without fulfilling their tenure posting till ‘compelling reasons’ emerged for their premature transfer.

A senior police officer familiar with this development stated that compelling reasons in case of premature transfer had been defined as “serious charges of misconduct or corruption, etc”, or going to training course, etc.

Apart from these host of “compelling reasons” for premature transfer, the draft police rules suggest that a board is constituted to evaluate performance of the field police officers.

The proposed board set up at additional IG level in Karachi and range level of DIG in other divisions of Sindh may recommend premature transfer of the field police officers in case of their less than satisfactory performance.

It has also been suggested in the draft rules that after enjoying two field postings, the officer should be transferred for “staff posting” to do some administration work or lead police training centre, etc.

This suggestion has been necessitated because existing practice has revealed that there are certain police officers who are regularly transferred from one district to another while some police officers continue to work at administrative posts.

One committee member stated that there were several police officers who tended to complain that they were not being given field posting.

The sources familiar with this development told Dawn that it had also been suggested in the proposed police rules that in case of promotion from one grade to another grade, the police officer concerned would not be given field posting immediately. Instead, the promoted officer has to work at administrative side for at least one year before being given field posting.

The provincial government had taken away powers of transfer and posting of police officers from the IGP and given the same to the home minister of Sindh following a ‘tussle’ between the provincial police chief and the political elites over a host of issues. After assuming such powers, the home minister had transferred several police officers across Sindh.

However, the SHC in its judgement declared void all such notifications issued since July 7.

Subsequently, at least 22 notifications issued by the services and general administration department regarding posting and transfer of police officers were withdrawn by IGP A.D. Khowaja in compliance with the judgement of the SHC.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2017