ISLAMABAD - The federal government yesterday appointed Allah Dino Khawaja as Inspector General of Police Sindh after removing Ghulam Hyder Jamali from the post through a special directive.
Sources told The Nation that the federal government had not adopted the routine process and instead the prime minister used his special powers to appoint the new IGP of Sindh province.
The federal government had not sought the three officers’ summary from the provincial government for the appointment of the new IGP. The sources said the prime minister has the authority to appoint an IGP of any province through a special directive. They said that Establishment Division issued the notification of Khawaja as new IGP Sindh on the special directives of the prime minister.
The federal government, however, took Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Chief Secretary Siddique Memon into confidence before the appointment of Khawaja, the sources said.
The sources further said the fate of outgoing IGP Jamali sealed on March 10, 2016 when Supreme Court’s three-member bench questioned his competence as IGP during hearing cases on withholding of funds meant for police investigations and corruption in appointments in Sindh Reserve Police.
Talking to The Nation, Secretary Establishment Division, Syed Tahir Shahbaz confirmed the appointment of Khawaja but he avoided commenting whether required process was adopted in this regard or not.
Khawaja had been serving as Additional IG special branch and was also a member of an inquiry committee set up by Supreme Court on December 23, 2015 to probe illegal appointments in provincial police department that also included Additional IG Dr Sanaullah Abbasi and Additional IG Naeem Shaikh.
The outgoing IGP, Jamali, appeared before the three-judge Supreme Court bench Karachi registry Thursday and accepted the 5,000 appointments were made illegal out of total 12,000 appointments.
The apex court ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate the illegal recruitments as well as the unjust disbursement of investigation funds and submit the inquiry report to court in four weeks.
A contempt of court case is already in process against Jamali and nine other police officers in the Sindh High Court.
Earlier, in 2015 a tussle erupted between the provincial and federal governments over the appointment of Jamali as IGP Sindh. In 2015, Sindh government wanted to appoint Fayyaz Laghari while federal government opposed the move and finally after two months of standoff Jamali was appointed as IGP.
Staff Reporter from Karachi adds: After issuing of the notification, newly-appointed IGP Khawaja called on Sindh Chief Minister Shah at the CM House. During the meeting Shah directed the IGP to focus on improving the law and order situation in the province, particularly in Karachi. Shah also lauded discipline and good reputation of Khawaja.