PTI, Sindh govt lock horns over top cop once again
Syed Murad Ali Shah slams Centre for delay tactics in letter to Imran Khan
IGP Syed Kaleem Imam PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
The controversy over the appointment of the new Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) deepened on Saturday after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) threatened to impose governor rule in the province.
However, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his third letter to the federal government, once again urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to recall incumbent IGP Dr Kaleem Imam and post an officer as agreed in their last meeting in Karachi.
Earlier, the federal government and PTI leaders had suggested that the appointment of the new police chief be done in consultation with the Sindh governor. The provincial government refused, saying that the governor did not have the power to do this.
In the wake of heated arguments between the provincial leadership of both PTI and Pakistan Peoples Party, PTI parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh brought up the idea to impose governor rule in Sindh.
Quoting Article 234 and 235 of the Constitution, Shaikh said that the proclamation could be made by the president in case of the failure of the province's constitutional machinery, on receipt of a report from the Sindh governor.
"If the president is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the governance of the province cannot be carried out in accordance with the provisions of constitution, he may direct the governor to assume any or all of the functions of the provincial government on his behalf," said the PTI leader, citing the Constitution.
'Unnecessary delays'
Meanwhile, in his letter to Khan, CM Shah wrote that the appointment must be decided after consultation between the provincial and federal governments.
"The Sindh governor is not a part of the federal government or the provincial government," reads the letter. "Bringing the governor into the decision-making process violates the constitutional dignity of his office and is not desirable at all."
Shah referred to his prior meetings with the prime minister, claiming that he had agreed to appoint the police chief from a panel of five officials nominated by the Sindh government. He added that the 'unnecessary' delay in the process had emboldened Imam in his 'reckless attitude,' saying he was publicly mocking the provincial government.
"This not only embarrasses the provincial government, but will also estrange the people of this province from the federal government," claimed Shah, saying that Sindh's people were raising questions about the Centre's 'discriminatory attitude' towards Sindh.
He termed the delaying tactics in the new police chief's appointment as the 'unnecessary politicisation of an administrative matter.'
Pointing to recent transfers of IGPs in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he wrote that in those cases, "the requests of the provincial governments were given preferential treatment and not even referred to the federal cabinet."
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh government recommended the names of five senior police officers - Mushtaq Mahar, Kamran Fazal, Ghulam Qadir Thebo, Inam Ghani and Sanaullah Abbasi - to replace Imam. However, after Khan's meeting with coalition partners, the federal cabinet expressed concern over the list of names.
"The post of IGP is being used for political victimisation, so we will appoint a neutral officer who will not take dictation from anyone," Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, special assistant to the PM on information and broadcasting, told the media at the time.
Constitutional powers
Responding to Shaikh's suggestion about governor rule, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said that those discussing the governor's authority to dismiss the provincial assembly should be aware that he did not even have the power to dismiss his 'watchman.'
Speaking to the media at the Arts Council on Saturday, Ghani said, "This is not the era of Ziaul Haq, when the governor had been authorised to dismiss assemblies." He added that in accordance with the current Constitution, it was the provincial government that had the authority to pay for even the petrol for the governor's vehicle.
The minister said that constitutionally, the chief minister was the province's chief executive, suggesting that Shaikh should review the Constitution before commenting on such matters.
The controversy over the appointment of the new Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) deepened on Saturday after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) threatened to impose governor rule in the province.
However, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his third letter to the federal government, once again urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to recall incumbent IGP Dr Kaleem Imam and post an officer as agreed in their last meeting in Karachi.
Earlier, the federal government and PTI leaders had suggested that the appointment of the new police chief be done in consultation with the Sindh governor. The provincial government refused, saying that the governor did not have the power to do this.
In the wake of heated arguments between the provincial leadership of both PTI and Pakistan Peoples Party, PTI parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Shaikh brought up the idea to impose governor rule in Sindh.
Quoting Article 234 and 235 of the Constitution, Shaikh said that the proclamation could be made by the president in case of the failure of the province's constitutional machinery, on receipt of a report from the Sindh governor.
"If the president is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the governance of the province cannot be carried out in accordance with the provisions of constitution, he may direct the governor to assume any or all of the functions of the provincial government on his behalf," said the PTI leader, citing the Constitution.
'Unnecessary delays'
Meanwhile, in his letter to Khan, CM Shah wrote that the appointment must be decided after consultation between the provincial and federal governments.
"The Sindh governor is not a part of the federal government or the provincial government," reads the letter. "Bringing the governor into the decision-making process violates the constitutional dignity of his office and is not desirable at all."
Shah referred to his prior meetings with the prime minister, claiming that he had agreed to appoint the police chief from a panel of five officials nominated by the Sindh government. He added that the 'unnecessary' delay in the process had emboldened Imam in his 'reckless attitude,' saying he was publicly mocking the provincial government.
"This not only embarrasses the provincial government, but will also estrange the people of this province from the federal government," claimed Shah, saying that Sindh's people were raising questions about the Centre's 'discriminatory attitude' towards Sindh.
He termed the delaying tactics in the new police chief's appointment as the 'unnecessary politicisation of an administrative matter.'
Pointing to recent transfers of IGPs in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, he wrote that in those cases, "the requests of the provincial governments were given preferential treatment and not even referred to the federal cabinet."
It is pertinent to mention here that the Sindh government recommended the names of five senior police officers - Mushtaq Mahar, Kamran Fazal, Ghulam Qadir Thebo, Inam Ghani and Sanaullah Abbasi - to replace Imam. However, after Khan's meeting with coalition partners, the federal cabinet expressed concern over the list of names.
"The post of IGP is being used for political victimisation, so we will appoint a neutral officer who will not take dictation from anyone," Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, special assistant to the PM on information and broadcasting, told the media at the time.
Constitutional powers
Responding to Shaikh's suggestion about governor rule, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said that those discussing the governor's authority to dismiss the provincial assembly should be aware that he did not even have the power to dismiss his 'watchman.'
Speaking to the media at the Arts Council on Saturday, Ghani said, "This is not the era of Ziaul Haq, when the governor had been authorised to dismiss assemblies." He added that in accordance with the current Constitution, it was the provincial government that had the authority to pay for even the petrol for the governor's vehicle.
The minister said that constitutionally, the chief minister was the province's chief executive, suggesting that Shaikh should review the Constitution before commenting on such matters.