Frontrunner for Punjab IG: Islamabad police chief placed at the disposal of Punjab govt

Tariq Yasin is one of the favourites to take provincial police chief’s slot.

LAHORE: Former Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Inspector General Tariq Masood Yasin has been put at the disposal of the Punjab Government, whereas DIG Headquarters Flight Lieutenant Muhammad Khalid Khattak (ICT) on Friday was given the additional charge of ICT inspector general (ICT).

According to sources, Additional IG Tariq Yasin is in the running for the position of the Punjab IGP seat which will fall vacant on April 10 after the retirement of Mushtaq Sukhera. Other officers in the running are Lahore CCPO Captain (Retd) Amin Wanis, Additional IGP Operations Captain (Retd) Arif Nawaz, Special Branch Additional IGP Punjab Faisal Shahkar and Punjab Highway Patrolling (PHP) Additional IG Amjad Saleemi.

Tariq is seen as a strong candidate as he has the federal government’s backing for slot. Sources revealed Tariq also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif earlier this week.

It is pertinent to mention that the provincial government, on March 20, requested the Establishment Division Islamabad for the services of Tariq for the province.

The request conceded after 11 days on Friday, March 31.

Tariq, talking to The Express Tribune, said he was happy to serve Punjab Police wherever the government places him. He added he does not have any preferences in this regard.

Earlier, sources close to the officer also revealed that Tariq was willing to shift to Punjab police and requested he be brought into the running for the provincial police chief slot.

According to the rules of the selection of an IGP, the provincial government shall, out of three officers recommended by the National Public Safety Commission and chosen from a list provided by the federal government, post a police officer of IG rank as the provincial police officer.

This is provided that the federal government has placed the candidate’s services at the disposal of the provincial government already. At the time, Tariq said he had heard of the summary being moved by the Punjab government. He said it was up to the federal government to decide whether he would be relieved of his seat to join Punjab police.

During a case hearing on Thursday, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah made the appointment of the new inspector general of Punjab police conditional with a court decision on a petition challenging the process. The CJ remarked there seems to some negligence towards fully implementing the Police Order 2002. The court issued a notice on the petition of one Muhammad Razzaq and asked amicus curie Advocate Khawaja Harris and Advocate Asma Jahangir to file their reply before the court

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, Advocate Saad Rasool said the Punjab IG Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera was going to retire on April 10 and the government had started the process of appointing his successor without fulfilling legal formalities..

Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhara, a PSP officer, will retire on April 10, 2017 at the age of superannuation. He assumed charge as the inspector general of Punjab police on June 14, 2014. Sukhara belongs to the 10th common.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2017.