The successive replacement of the Inspector General (IG) Punjab since the new government took charge has disrupted the flow of the institution. The government’s inability to stick to its policy of non-interference in the bureaucracy, and constant reshuffling of the top officers has delayed their plans for reform of the force considerably, not to mention how politicized the whole process has become.

The appointment of Amjad Javed Saleemi, who was previously serving as the commandant of National Police Academy, is expected to make up for the time lost as he has pledged to work diligently and introduce reforms. He also realises how the resignation of Nasir Durrani — formerly head of police reforms commission — has impacted the institution and aims to take his advice to change the Punjab police force due to his extensive experience in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

While any individual appointed for the job must be encouraged to perform his or her duty and allowed the space to work, there is clearly going to be a lot more pressure on the new appointee since the IG Punjab position has become very controversial. The infant government announced the replacement of Mohammad Tahir before the by elections - a move which is strictly prohibited by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). This means that there is very little margin for error for the new appointee as every decision will be intently watched by the opposition and the media. He needs to not only demonstrate his ability, but his neutrality as well

At the same time, a great responsibility lies on his shoulders - one of balancing the demands of the government and also the requirements of the job. This balance will help create accountability that is required in the force, and it is only with transparency of action that an individual with such authority is able to set a positive precedent.