SP Kotli resigns under 'political pressure

MIRPUR (AJK) - Superintendent of Police Kotli Irfan Masood Kashfi reportedly resigned from his office on Wednesday allegedly after having been utterly perplexed over the attitude of his high-ups due to their alleged undue pressure regarding the release of some of the arrested accused (political elements) involved in Tuesdays violent incidents of loot and arson which took place in Nikayal town of Kotli district. Police arrested Sardar Tariq Sikander, son of former Prime Minister of AJK Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan, PML-N AJK top leader from Nikayal, allegedly involved in the cases of loot and arson of private and public property during a protest demo. Later on, Kotli police reportedly had to release the arrested son of the former Prime Minister on the advice of the high-ups of AJK police. This led to Irfan Masood Kashfi to be extremely fed up and as a protest tendered his resignation from the office. Kashfi, according to sources, did not attend his official duties on Wednesday. Rather he preferred to stay at his official residence in Kotli where from he sent his resignation to the office. When contacted by this correspondent over telephone on Wednesday evening, Irfan Kashfi neither confirmed nor denied the reports about his resignation from the office. 'I am in a meeting and will talk to you after half an hour, Kashfi responded. The Inspector General of Police AJK Tariq Khokhar and DIG Police Mirpur Range Tahir Qureshi could also not be contacted by telephone despite repeated efforts. Meanwhile, Nikayal (Kotli) police has booked 43 accused including Sardar Tariq Sikandar, nominating them in Tuesdays violent incident of loot and arson and damaging private and public properties and attacking the officials including a Returning Officer (Civil Judge) Nakayal besides injuring about a dozen of cops during the rally.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt