Power tussle leaves police force in dilemma

New home minister assumes charge, convenes meetings for apparent power show

KARACHI: The ongoing tussle between the Sindh IG and provincial government took an ugly turn on Thusrday as Allah Dino Khawaja apparently succeeded in restraining his subordinates from attending a meeting convened by newly appointed Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal.

Nevertheless, the home minister reportedly exerted enough pressure to ensure attendance in another meeting the same day, which was attended by a large number of officers.

According to sources privy to the developments, the Sindh government has installed Siyal to give a tough time to the provincial police chief after facing a legal battle. The strategy of the provincial government is to isolate the IG in his own department to an extent that he is forced to step down, said sources. Nevertheless, Khawaja is also countering these strategies – he has reportedly worked out his own strategy to deter the home minister from influencing his force.



On Thursday, the home minister convened a meeting of senior police officials from across the province over arrangements for the upcoming month of Ramazan. Only seven police officials from across Sindh attended the meeting. Reports suggested that the IG had already directed his subordinates to not attend any meeting with the minister without seeking prior permission from him.

Earlier on Wednesday, a notification was reportedly issued by Khawaja to all the senior police officers of the province, directing them to seek prior permission from the IG before meeting the home minister. However, the IG later issued a press statement denying such orders. "No police officers have been barred from attending Thursday's meeting called by the newly reappointed Sindh home minister," said a statement issued by the Central Police Office (CPO). "The statement was released by the spokesperson of the Sindh police, who explained that officers leaving their designated headquarters for the meeting must inform the relevant departments, which is part of the official procedure."



Irked by the absence of majority of the senior police officials in the meeting chaired by him on Thursday, Siyal addressed a press conference. He questioned the motive of the IG behind the directives for permission to attend his meeting. "The Sindh IG is subordinate to the provincial home ministry under the Police Act," said Siyal. "He has far better understanding of institutions' jurisdiction than me. However, I could not understand the motive behind seeking permission and reporting to headquarters concerned before attending my meeting."

Siyal went on to say that he was informed that officers going outstation should report to headquarters concerned as per the IG’s notification. However, he pointed out, Sanaullah Abbasi, Khadim Hussain Bhatti and Aftab Pathan, who were in Karachi were also told to seek permission.



"Did the police chief seek permission from the home ministry before going outstation last night [in line with the Police Act]?" he questioned.

Power show

Later in the evening on Thursday, the home minister convened another meeting with senior police officials at the Karachi Police Office (KPO). This time, a large number of senior police officials, ranking from additional IGs to SSPs, attended the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was the same – the law and order situation and precautionary measures during the upcoming holy month.



Additional IG Mushtaq Maher briefed Siyal about the arrangements for Ramazan. The home minister appreciated the police and also warned that there would be zero tolerance policy for negligence.

Surpassing the other

Sources privy to the developments have said that the IG and home minister are trying to outwit each other. "The home minister has been given the task to give a tough time to the IG while the IGP is ready to face him and give him a tough time [instead]," said a source. "The two men have a challenging position. They have started lobbying with senior police officials. Let’s see who wins this battle."

Meanwhile, senior police officials seem confused amid the ongoing battle between their department head and the Sindh government. "What should we do now?” asked a senior police official. “Whom should we follow – IG or home minister? We are under both of them.”



It has been months that the Sindh government and IG have been at odds. The dispute reportedly erupted over the transfer and posting issues of the police officials as the Sindh IG was transferring and posting the officers without consulting with the government.

Later, the Sindh government sent the IG on forced leave. However, after civil society, retired IGs and others highlighted the issue and the court was involved in the matter, the Sindh government failed to remove him. The IG even offered to surrender his services but the court restrained him from doing so.