Mushtaq Maher returns as Karachi police chief

Sources claim decision taken due to Ghulam Qadir Thebo's poor performance

KARACHI: Only after 37 days of his appointment, Sindh government removed Karachi Police Chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo and brought back Mushtaq Maher on the post, on Wednesday.

On July 17, Maher was removed as Karachi police chief and was given the post of traffic additional inspector-general (IG). Surprisingly, the government has now brought Maher back to the same position, relieving Thebo and transferring him to the post of traffic additional IG.

Official sources in Sindh government claimed that chief minister (CM) and apex committee members were not satisfied with the performance of Thebo, who, according to them, failed to curb the recent surge of crime, especially banks daocities, kidnapping and killings in the city. "In his one month tenure, around eight cops were killed, five banks were looted, son of Pakistan Peoples Party [PPP] MPA Murtaza Baloch was kidnapped and numbers of daocities were reported in the city. This irked the CM and other apex committee members, who evolved consensus to transfer him," sources said.



According to sources, Thebo, who was earlier working as anti-corruption chairperson, was also a strong candidate to replace AD Khawaja as the IG. However, some lobbies in the government played the role to transfer him.

"Ever since he took charge of the department, some elements in the government, ruling party and media became active against him, creating hype that he has failed to control crime in the city and he should be transferred," said a senior police official, on condition of anonymity. "Finally, he was shown the door," he added.

Another official in the home department claimed that a month ago, when Thebo had replaced Maher, representatives of intelligence agencies, who are also part of apex committee, had expressed reservation over the decision, expressing their trust in Maher because of his good reputation in the police. "Maher is honest and unlike other officers he does not directly deal with SHOs, which is why most of the police officers were afraid of him," sources said, adding that recent surge of crime and killings showed the difference between Thebo and Maher's tenures, when it comes to law and order in Karachi.



Thebo, who is also close to PPP leadership, while talking to media accepted the decision and said, "One month period for a police chief to prove [himself] in the city is nothing".

Sources said that Thebo had changed many SHOs in Karachi and after this decision massive reshuffle in the police at lower level is on the card. Sindh Home minister Sohail Anwar Siyal, however, termed it a routine change, which according to him, is government propagative. "Media should avoid giving certificate of honest and dishonest. Both the officers are competent and appointed by PPP government on coveted posts," he said.