Massive reshuffle stirs police department

IGP discusses performance of officers for transfer, posting

LAHORE: The Central Police Office (CPO) witnessed an unusual hustle and bustle on Tuesday as a major reshuffle took place in Lahore Police.

Inspector General of Punjab Police Arif Nawaz held hours-long meeting with DIG Headquarters, CCPO BA Nasir and other officers to deliberate the move. The performance, inquiry and other reports of the officers were discussed thoroughly for transfer and posting.

The key decisions in a reshuffling of key posts, Deputy Inspector General of Lahore Police Operations, Senior Superintendent of Lahore Operations, divisional SPs of Lahore Police investigations wing and District Police Officers (DPOs), particularly Sheikhupura and Sialkot, were made. The orders have been passed to transfer at least 29 officers, a source shared.

Further transfers and postings including those of RPOs were also on cards, to be decided during the ongoing week.

CPO Faisalabad Ashfaq Ahmad Khan is reportedly the strongest candidate to replace DIG Operations Lahore Waqas Nazir. Ismail Kharak was going to replace SSP Operations Lahore Mustansir Feroz. Mustansir Feroz reportedly was going to be appointed as DPO Sialkot. The decision to replace DPO Sheikhupura was also made in the meeting.

CCPO BA Nasir held an hour-long meeting with Nawaz to defend his position. The IGP had received certain complaints especially unavailability to public and police officials to listen to their problems. IGP gave him one months’ time to fulfill the shortcomings to desist the transfer. This was the first key field posting Nasir was enjoying throughout his career. He was appointed CCPO by the interim set-up.

Few days after assuming office, he had transferred three DPOs. AIG Operations Punjab CPO, Rana Shoaib Mehmood was transferred and posted as DPO Khushab. DPO Khushab Abadat Nisar was transferred and posted as DPO Pakpattan and DPO Pakpattan Maria Mehmood was ordered to report to CPO.

Nawaz had held a detailed meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar after being appointed. In A two-hour long meeting, both, besides other issues, had deliberated the transfer and posting of police officers.

The Police Order (2002) declares three years, the time span of a posting, for a police officer. However, the book was not followed the transfer or posting procedure was not streamlined. Frequent, arbitrary transfer postings are disliked by serious police officers. They state the practice the greatest hurdle in discontinuity or sustainability of policies. An officer commented, “the arbitrary transfer postings force the officers to internalize ‘myopic’ approach in their working. It is disastrous for professional capacity building of the department as a whole also.”

He said time needed for innovation, improvisation and strategic planning. Besides, change in command also needs a change in the team. The change in the team leads to a change in approach. The change in approach leads to a change in priorities. He said that its effect was similar to the “snowball effect”. He also said it to be the biggest barrier behind the reforms.

This is not the end of it. The further major reshuffle is still on cards. Dozens of police officers will be changed during the week. Others will be transferred after Ramadan.

DIG Operations Lahore Police Waqas Nazir has been transferred and directed to report to Services and General Administration Department. His office has been replaced by Ashfaq Ahmad Khan who was serving as CPO Faisalabad. Meanwhile, DIG Shahzad Akbar has been posted as DIG Establishment and SSP Motor Transport Muhammad Azhar Akram has been posted as CPO Faisalabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2019.