CTO, DSPs suspended over dancing party

LAHORE - Punjab Inspector General of Police Tariq Saleem Dogar, taking serious notice of the incident of Traffic Police Centre Thokar Niaz Baig, has suspended Chief Traffic Officer (CTO), Lahore, and two DSPs of traffic with immediate effect. According to the Punjab police spokesman, the disciplinary action had been taken by the IGP against CTO Intisar Hussain Jafferi, DSP Traffic Licensing Muhammad Bilal and DSP Traffic Squad Khalil Ahmad on indulging in misconduct. The IGP also called for explanation of DIG Traffic Lahore Usman Khattak. Besides, he also directed CCPO Pervaiz Rathore to submit him report after conducting inquiry into the matter. According to details, Cap (r) Saeed Mubeen has been appointed as new Chief Traffic Officer replacing Intisar Jafferi. Meantime, the former CTO claimed he was restored immediately after his suspension and before the issuance of the notification of his adjournment. He said a formal inquiry under the supervision of CCPO was underway but he was restored. While a police source confirmed that the former CTO was creating confusion about his restoration. In fact he has been suspended and will not be able to discharge his duties till further order by the IGP, he added. Another police sources revealed earlier that worst traffic mess was observed on Tuesday when former CTO Intisaar Hussain Jafferi was enjoying music ceremony held at Traffic Police Centre Thokar Niaz Baig. The police sources further said when a local singer, Farrah Laal, started to sing a song, DSP Haji Bilal jumped at the stage along with his subordinates and started dancing with the singer besides singing the same song. It was the very day when more than 34 innocent citizens were killed in the deadliest suicidal attack at Dera Ghazi Khan on Tuesday afternoon in front of the house of Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Senior Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Resident of Thokar Niaz Baig, Imtiaz Nadir, revealed that almost all the traffic wardens deployed at sensitive points had left their places showing eagerness to participate in the said Mehfil-e-Moseqi. Talking to The Nation on Friday, an SP rank officer disclosed the traffic police had organised 'Salam Traffic Wardens music ceremony to welcome the newly appointed traffic wardens. He said DIG Traffic Cap (r) Usman Khatak, former CTO Intisaar Hussain Jafferi, SP Sardar Asif, SP Imtiazur Rehman, DSP Haji Khaleel, DSP Haji Bilal and DSP Zahid Nizami participated in the ceremony. He further said DSP Haji Bilal along with other traffic officers including two female wardens had amused more than 800 male and female traffic wardens with his artistic dance. Interestingly, this ceremony was not being held for the first time by the traffic police. It is pertinent to add that two lady wardens were issued orders to discharge duty at a building in Seed Pur locality a couple of month back. Both of them wardens had expressed their disappointment when they came to know that a vulgar music ceremony was in full swing at the said building where they had to discharge their duty. The police source also added that both the wardens had submitted their written protest but to no avail. It is also a harsh reality that the state is confronting the monster of terrorism and the police officers, instead of framing mutual strategy to counter the nefarious designs of perpetrators, are involved in such unethical incidents.

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