Inspector, involved in bribery case, appointed SHO

The police station covers three districts - Korangi, Malir and East

KARACHI: The Sindh government's Anti-Encroachment Force (AEF) deputed on Wednesday an official nominated in a bribery case, violating orders of the senior member of the Board of Revenue, Qazi Shahid Pervez.

Faizan Shaikh, who has taken the charge of the Zone-II of the AEF was nominated in an FIR registered on September 20, earlier this year. According to the copy of the FIR available with The Express Tribune, his subordinate ASI Niaz and others demanded Rs200,000 for Shaikh during the anti-encroachment drive in the area.

A video of the officials demanding the bribe had gone viral on social media.

Anti Encroachment Force Director-General (DG) Tariq Dharejo, who was unable to attend the phone, said via message, that the letter of posting should be shown to him if Shaikh has been posted as the SHO of the police station. The letter, which was issued on Thursday, is available with The Express Tribune.

‘Crime rate will decrease if police stop seeking bribes’

"He has taken the charge of the SHO Wednesday morning," said an official of the police station. "The directives were issued through a verbal order to the former SHO Abdul Karim," the official added.

He said that most of the officials of the department knew Shaikh was being supported by top police officials.

According to a notification issued from Pervez's office on November 14, all the transfers and postings of all the SHO of the AEF will be notified by the Board of Revenue with the approval of the AEF DG.

"There is no written order of the transfer and posting," said an official of the Zone-II police station, on Wednesay. This was a day before the written order was issued. "The value of the AEF was nothing prior to the launch of the anti-encroachment drive across the city," he explained, adding majority of the inspectors wanted to have this position for longer periods of time. The official said that only influential persons could take charge of the police station.

Despite repeated attempts to contact him, Pervez could not be reached for comment.

The Zone-II of the AEF covers three districts - Korangi, Malir and East.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2019.