Police see yet another major reshuffle

Changeup arrives on the coattails of Ramazan postings

LAHORE: In another major reshuffle in the top brass of the Punjab police, the government has surrendered the services of 10 officers to the establishment division.

The officers whose services were surrendered included DIG Ishaq Jahangir, DIG Sultan Ahmad Chaudhry, DIG Muhammad Waqas Mehmood, DIG Imran Mehmood, DIG Salman Sultan and DIG Shahzad Akbar. SSP Nasir Mukhtar Rajpoot, SSP Qaiser Bashir Makhdoom and SSP Mansoor Rana.

The officers have been asked to report to the establishment division. This is yet another major reshuffle in the police force since IGP Arif Nawaz took charge. A week before Ramazan, at least 29 police officers were transferred and posted.

The officers included IG Operations, SSP Operations, divisional SPs of Lahore Police and DPOs. CPO Faisalabad Ashfaq Ahmad Khan was appointed as DIG Operations Lahore and replaced by Waqas Nazir. Ismail Kharak replaced SSP Operations Lahore Mustansir Feroz.

Mustansir Feroz, meanwhile, was appointed as DPO Sialkot. The IGP also transferred many others, including RPOs. On May 7, Mufakhar Adeel was posted as Battalion Commander-I, Punjab Constabulary Lahore against a vacant post. Also, Captain (Retd) Mohammad Ajmal was posted as Additional SP Investigation Model Town Lahore, while Deputy Director Security Central-I Wing 2 SPU Lahore Shahid Mahmood Sheikh was directed to report to the Central Police Office. In addition, SP Security PHR, SPU Lahore Tariq Mahmood was given the additional charge of Deputy Director Security Central-I Wing 2 at SPU Lahore.

The transfers and postings were aimed at forming a handpicked top brass in the Punjab police. Nawaz had held a detailed meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar after being appointed. In a two-hour long moot, both deliberated over the transfer and posting of police officers.  

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2019.