Sindh IG Allah Dino Khawaja. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The IG has taken exception to the Sindh government's directives asking the officials to seek approval from the chief minister while leaving headquarters or going on leave. "I am directed to state that the directives of the honourable Sindh chief minister in the above referred letter are not in conformity with the existing Police Act, 1861 and Police Rules, 1934," reads a letter written by the IG to the provincial chief secretary.
"The administration of police throughout the general police district shall be vested in an officer to be styled the inspector general of police, as the provincial government shall deem fit," it adds. "The power to grant leave to subordinate police officers has also been defined in the Police Rules 8.9. Any executive directive cannot be in conflict with the existing rules, which are binding on all public servants and police officers," reminded the IG in the letter.
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The IG asked the chief secretary to review these directives and ensure that they conform with the existing rules, in order to avoid any irregularities.
The letter came in response to a notification issued by the chief minister's secretariat dated May 31 that directed DIGs and SSPs to seek permission to leave their headquarters from the chief secretary and submit information about the same to the chief minister. They had also been advised to obtain permission for leave from the secretariat.
The tussle between the Sindh government and IG has been continuing since last year but came to the forefront in December, 2016 when Khawaja was sent on 'forced leave' by the Sindh government and his responsibilities were handed over to Karachi's additional IG Mushtaq Mahar. It had been learnt that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership was not happy with the IG over many issues, particularly the transfer and posting of the police officials without consulting with the provincial government. However, after a few days of the controversy, Khawaja resumed charge of his office after the Sindh High Court intervened and stayed his transfer.
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Besides the transfer and postings of police officials, the dispute between Khawaja and one of PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari's close aides - a businessman - emerged after a police raid at a sugarcane mill in Sindh was seen as a major reason for the rift.
He was sent on forced leave but after criticism from civil society and the court's stay order, the Sindh government was forced to reconsider its decision.
The tussle once again escalated when the PPP appointed Sohail Anwar Siyal as home minister, apparently to counter the IG.
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