PTI govt wants to use IGs against opposition: Ahsan Iqbal

PML-N leader says former Punjab police chiefs denied becoming a part of the PTI govt's agenda

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Ahsan Iqbal has accused the government of exploiting the inspectors general of police against the opposition, as the authorities for the fifth time removed Punjab’s top cop from the post.

The Punjab government on Tuesday removed Shoaib Dastgir from the post of IG of Police, according to a notification issued by the Cabinet Division. The official, who is a BS-22 officer of the police, has been transferred and posted as the secretary of the Narcotics Control Division with immediate effect.

The move comes after Dastgir refused to work under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government over the recent appointment of Umar Sheikh as the provincial capital’s city police officer (CCPO) without consulting his office.

“I salute the five former IGs of Police posted in Punjab. They have denied becoming a part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s agenda,” he said while addressing a press conference at the parliament lodges in Islamabad.

The PML-N – one of the main opposition parties – has been wary of the PTI’s policies and their top leaders have accused the government of political vendetta.

The PML-N leader added: “The government also wants to use IGs against the opposition like they did with ‘NAB gardi’. The police officers have shown obedience to their duty.”

On the upcoming multi-party confab, Iqbal said that in-house change and ousting of the government are part of the All-Parties Conference agenda. “We have given the

Pakistan Peoples Party opportunity to host the APC, as they have requested,” he added.

Iqbal, the former planning minister, also spoke about the development package announced by the federal government for Karachi.

The government is also doing politics on Karachi’s destruction, he alleged, adding: “As many as 14 seats were won from the mega city [by the PTI]. But the city was looked after for only five hours.”

The PML-N leader urged the masses to block the PTI-led government or else the country would “further be weakened.” Iqbal said: “You [PTI] have weakened the country so much that [Indian PM] Modi had appropriated Kashmir.”