Court directs IGP to remove corrupt officers

‘Please recover my wife and punish the SHO who kidnapped her’.

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry on Monday ordered inspector general (IG) of Punjab Police to remove from key posts all officers against whom criminal charges are pending. The CJ told the IGP that no corrupt police officer should be made an SHO.

The CJ was hearing a petition against former Sattukatla Police Station SHO Ghulam Dastagir who is accused of kidnapping a married woman and forcing her into a marriage with him.

Pursuant to the court’s order, the IG appeared before the court on Monday and stated that he had issued instructions to all RPOs to remove such officers and register cases against them.

The IG admitted that there were many complaints against police officers for misusing their powers. He said departmental proceedings have been initiated against them. He added that in some cases the officers had been fired.

During the proceedings, the CJ asked the IGP about the inquiry against SP Mansoorul Haq. The IGP replied that the SP had been made an OSD while the inquiry was in progress.

The CJ directed the IGP to complete the inquiry regarding Dastagir in a month’s time and submit the report to the court.

Muhammad Iqbal, resident of Wapda Town, had filed the petition in the LHC, pleading that SHO Ghulam Dastagir had illegally occupied his house and later kidnapped his wife Uzma and forced her into marriage. He said his wife was still in illegal detention.

He said that DIG Major (retd) Mubasharullah had conducted an inquiry and held Dastagir guilty. Later, he said, the SHO was terminated from service but not prosecuted. Nor was his wife recovered.

He prayed to the court to that his wife be covered and the SHO punished according to law. The court will resume hearing after one month.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 5^th, 2011.