Islamabad - Senior police officer Muhammad Ali Nekokara was exonerated and his services were restored on Thursday after a hiatus of two years subsequent to the approval of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

 The government had dismissed Nekokara in April 2015 after he had ‘refused’ to use force against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) workers staging sit-ins in Islamabad’s Red Zone in 2014.

According to a notification (No 2/13/2014-D1) issued by the Establishment Division, “consequent upon acceptance of appeal by Appellate Authority/Prime Minister, major penalty of “Dismissal from service” imposed upon Muhammad Ali Nekokara, (PSP/BS-19 Acting Charge) vide a notification (dated 3-3-2015) is set aside and the officer is exonerated. The intervening period shall be treated as a leave of the kind due, subject to title”.     

After Nekokara defied the orders, the federal government had made him an officer on special duty (OSD) and the Establishment Division initiated an inquiry against him. Former foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhary was appointed as the authorised inquiry officer. The inquiry committee in its report had said that Nekokara violated the rules and regulations.

In the light of the inquiry report, the Establishment Division issued the notification dismissing Nekokara, who was serving as Senior Superintendent of Police Islamabad then, from his service in 2015.

According to the services rules, Nekokara had reserved the right to file an appeal to the PM against the decision of his removal from service.

 Following the rules, he had filed an appeal to the PM within 30 days after his removal from service.