Pakistan

ECP blocks govt’s move to appoint new Punjab police chief ahead of by-polls

Govt had issued a notification replacing Tahir Khan with Amjad Javed Saleemi earlier in the day

News Desk October 09, 2018

Amjad Javed. PHOTO:APP

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has suspended a notification, issued by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, regarding transfer of Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab Tahir Khan.

Taking serious notice of replacing Tahir Khan with Amjad Javed Saleemi, the commission sought report from the secretary establishment within two days, Express News reported.

The ECP had barred the government from making any postings and transfers in the wake of by-election, scheduled for October 14.

The provincial government had issued a notification regarding appointment of Amjad Javed Saleemi as the new inspector general of police earlier today.

A tale of patties and pastries

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had told reporters that Tahir Khan was being replaced for not abiding by the government orders. The government had also developed disagreements with Khan over some inter-departmental issues, he added.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb alleged that the government’s decision to replace the Punjab police chief just days ahead of by-elections was aimed at rigging the October 14 by-polls.

Addressing a news conference, she urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar to take notice of the issue. The PTI government in Punjab was also not happy with IGP Tahir Khan over arrest of senior provincial minister Mehmoodur Rasheed’s son, she added.

Sindh, Punjab, K-P’s top police cadres reorganised

Saleemi, a BS-22 grade officer, is said to be a close relative of Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar.

Before his new appointment, he was serving as a commandant of the National Police Academy. He also served as Sindh IG under the caretaker government from June to September.

The top cadre of the police bureaucracy all over the country underwent a major reshuffle in September after the federal government appointed Muhammad Tahir (also in BPS-21) as IG Punjab and Dr Kaleem Imam (a BPS-21 officer) as Inspector-General Sindh on Friday.

Imam was previously the Punjab IG and was recently the inquiry officer in the Pakpattan DPO transfer case taken up by the Supreme Court.

COMMENTS (2)

JR | 6 years ago | Reply Buzdar is working exactly the way we expected!

AA | 6 years ago | Reply Its time let the new government do their work by removing close co partners high ranking police officials and other department of the corrupt sharif family, he infested all the government departments with extreme corrupt officials that are servicing the monarch mafia family of the sharif, since they are loyal to monarchs of sharif family and serve their masters interest for their own interest, its not healthy thing for naya pakistan and we need new appointments on merit bases for the wellbeing of the country and not the rulers, when the department are filled with corrupt officials chosen by the sharif mafia why the pti government should not change it.

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