LAHORE - The government has failed to appoint inspector general of police (IGP) on permanent basis in the Punjab province amid growing political tension.
The most powerful police slot is lying vacant for the last couple of months, and the matters comes to the spotlight as the terrorists have targeted policemen – who are supposed to protect the citizens.
At least nine policemen died and several others wounded a Monday’s suicide hit on a group of on-duty police personnel.
Since the retirement of former IGP Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera in April, both the federal and provincial governments are yet to choose the new chief of Punjab Police, which is country’s largest law enforcing agency.
Police circles say the department is facing multiple administrative issues in the absence of a regular police chief.
Last week, the federal government had appointed Additional-IGP Usman Khattak as acting IGP after the retirement of Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera. But the Lahore high court suspended the notification on the very next day.
Khattak was appointed IGP on July 17, just a day before the expiry of the third deadline given by the LHC to the government. Khattak will reach the age of superannuation on November 1, 2017.
Reportedly, the court expressed anger as the Punjab government had appointed Khattak as the permanent IGP even though he was due to retire within three months.
Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah took up the petition seeking appointment of a permanent IGP and implementation of the Police Order 2002. On the previous hearing, the chief justice had given the government third and the last deadline to do the needful. The court adjourned the hearing till July 26 after suspending the notification.
According to insiders, the names of several senior police officers are under consideration for the top police slot. They believe the government delayed the decision apparently because of preoccupation in the Panama case involving Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children.
Among the aspirants are Lahore capital city police officer additional-IGP Muhammad Amin Wains, additional-IGP Amjad Javed Saleemi, additional-IGP Arif Nawaz and Special Branch Additional IGP Faisal Shahkar. Mr Wains who introduced multiple initiatives to reform the Lahore police in recent years is leading the race for the top slot in the Punjab police.
Some officers who spoke to The Nation on Monday were of the view that the government should have appointed the police chief in the province on permanent basis for a period of three years as per orders of the Lahore high court.
Lawyer Saad Rasool had filed the public interest petition on behalf of Mohammad Razzaq questioning non-composition of the public safety commission for the appointment of police officers, including IGP, in compliance with the Police Order. He said under the law, the employment of IG Punjab should last three years and the provincial government prime facie had committed contempt of court by appointing a permanent IG who is due to retire in three months.
Amin Wains, additional-IGP Amjad Javed Saleemi, additional-IGP Arif Nawaz and Special Branch Additional IGP Faisal Shahkar. Mr Wains who introduced multiple initiatives to reform the Lahore police in recent years is leading the race for the top slot in the Punjab police.
Some officers who spoke to The Nation on Monday were of the view that the government should have appointed the police chief in the province on permanent basis for a period of three years as per orders of the Lahore high court.
Lawyer Saad Rasool had filed the public interest petition on behalf of Mohammad Razzaq questioning non-composition of the public safety commission for the appointment of police officers, including IGP, in compliance with the Police Order. He said under the law, the employment of IG Punjab should last three years and the provincial government prime facie had committed contempt of court by appointing a permanent IG who is due to retire in three months.–ASHRAF JAVED