Govt withdraws IG’s transfer and posting powers

Move allegedly made to compel AD Khawaja to surrender his services

KARACHI: The Sindh government has withdrawn the powers of Sindh Inspector-General (IG) Allah Dino Khawaja. The IG can no longer transfer or post SSPs and SPs.

"The competent authority, the chief minister, is pleased to approve that the transfer and postings of SPs (BS-18) and SSPs (BS-19) and equivalent [ranks] shall be issued by the services, general administration and coordination department with the approval of the chief minister in accordance with Rule 9 (2) of the Sindh Civil Servants (appointment and transfer) Rules, 1974," reads a notification issued by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon. "The department's orders dated August 9, 2016 [regarding] powers delegated to the IG with regard to transfers and postings of SPs and SSPs and equivalent is hereby cancelled or withdrawn."

Sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune that the then chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had delegated special powers to the former IG, Fayyaz Leghari, to transfer and post SSPs and SPs, adding that the government took decision to withdraw the powers of the IG as part of an ongoing tussle between the provincial government and IG Khawaja.



The tussle between the two surfaced when the Sindh government sent IG Khawaja on forced leave following the emergence of differences over multiple issues, particularly the transfer and postings of SSPs and SPs, however, the government withdrew its decision and IG re-joined the office after the court’s intervention.

IG Khawaja has already been approached to surrender his services but the decision is still pending. "The situation turned critical when a senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader, Sohail Anwar Siyal, resumed charge of his office as home minister," a source in the home department explained. "Since the tussle begun, the government has attempted to remove the IG a number of times but this is a final attempt, as after this the IG will have no special powers, compelling him to surrender his services."

The Sindh government has already decided to appoint a senior police official, Sardar Abdul Majeed Dasti, as IG Khawaja’s replacement.