Jibran Nasir sends CM Murad contempt notice over letter to PM Imran

Human rights lawyer says IGP decision has to be taken by cabinets, not PM and CM

KARACHI: Threatening legal action, rights activist Jibran Nasir sent a contempt of court notice to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah through his counsel, Faisal Siddiqi, on Saturday, pertaining to a letter sent by Shah to Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this week.

Nasir had recently filed a plea in the Sindh High Court (SHC) challenging the transfer of Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Kaleem Imam as well.

The notice, which is available with The Express Tribune, states that legally, no provincial police chief can be removed or appointed without consensus between the Centre and the Sindh government. Furthermore, the decision has to be taken by the provincial and federal cabinets, not the CM and premier, it adds.

This is in accordance with the 1993 Agreement between the Centre and Provinces as well as Article 12(2) of the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Act, 1861, and Revival of Police Order, 2002) (Amendment) Act, 2019.

According to the notice, the SHC was assured on Tuesday by the Sindh advocate general that no action would be taken in violation of Article 12(2), implying that the process had yet to be completed.

However, Shah, in his letter to PM Khan the next day, stated that the process had been completed "when we reached an agreement during our last meeting" on Monday.

Siddiqi maintained that this contradicted the advocate general's undertaking in court. He further wrote that Shah's statement about coming to an agreement with PM Khan was "contemptuous" and "a misrepresentation of the 1993 Agreement," since "the consensus is to be developed between the decisions of the provincial cabinet and the federal cabinet, not between the chief minister and the prime minister."

According to the notice, Shah's letter was in 'clear violation' of the SHC's orders, and further showed that the Sindh government was not acting in accordance to the law. Unless the "contemptuous actions" were stopped, wrote Siddiqi, they would initiate legal action, including contempt proceedings, against Shah.