LAHORE: Inspector General of Police (IG) Punjab Javed Iqbal has sought an explanation from seven high ranking police officials on their uninvited presence at a US Consulate General Iftar.
The dinner had been hosted by US Consul General Carmela Conroy in Lahore.
According to sources, the officials had not informed the relevant department of their presence at the Iftar dinner.
Some of the officials, while speaking to the media, claimed that they went to the dinner in their personal capacity and not as officials.
IG Punjab has called for an inquiry and intelligence agencies are also looking into the incident. The inquiry aims to uncover possible ties Punjab Police officials may have with American diplomats and if they are personal or not.
The officials who attended the iftar dinner include DIG Training Arif Nawaz, DIG Deputy Commandant Punjab Constabulary Khadim Hussain Bhatti, SP VVIP Security Lahore Waqas, SSP Elite Force Major Shehryar, SSP Major Nasrullah and SP Headquarters Lahore Romail Akram.
US Consulate General statement
"US Consulate General Lahore, along with the majority of our friends and neighbors in Pakistan, is celebrating the Holy Month of Ramzan by observing the breaking of fast at Iftar. US Consul General Carmela Conroy has the pleasure of hosting some Iftari dinners, and has had the honor of being invited to Iftari dinners hosted by others. We do not comment on the identities of those with whom we break fast."
COMMENTS (51)
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@uzair: I think you are overreacting on my comments and using such words as senses .... Just inform the readers out of 50 invitees how many went on their knees to attend the party? Don't forget that government officials are not independent but dependent to their superiors. Some of your friends also mentioned the names of some army personnel who blew the whistle about this party which can only be considered as "Finger Pointing" unnecessarily. I am only concerned about rules and regulations and would be more happy if these Officers including your Dad are promoted two steps above their present ranks as is the case usually witnessed in our beloved country. @ Romm even went further through some sounds of Jingle Bells of Establishment. Now cool down and have some chilled "Lassi" after magrib and leave a glass not empty but full for me.
@Aftab Kenneth Wilson: Sir you don't only lack the sense of comprehending the situation but you have also missed out the key words,go above and read i have written "our society " which very much includes me ,secondly here is the rule which i am very sure you wouldn't have bothered to go through and yet you are making baseless arguments,any officer must not "associate" himself with the embassy,how on earth one dinner could suggest association with the consulate,look Mr aftab ,like i said about 50 bureaucrats were invited through printed cards sent to their offices,which is enough of an evidence to prove that there was no personal meeting as such,it was just a dinner and people must not take it in any other spirit,and i don't know to which sector do you belong but these officers(including my father) have given their blood to the department, they have served this nation for quiet a long time,they have risked their lives numerous times for the sake of people like you Mr aftab, this incident is not potent enough to effect their careers in any way,however you may speak,you may shout,you may protest in streets that wouldn't make any difference i challenge you,cheers :D
@uzair: According to your wish I revisited my comments but could not dig out any funniness or untoward gimmick in it. Yes you are right to point out your index finger on the society being insane and ignorant but fell short to accept being part and parcel of the same society. Why don't you ask your Dad what was so entertaining in that party for which he had to break all standing procedures earmarked for these types of occasions by the government of Pakistan? The province of Punjab is the only one which talks about moral behaviors and rule of law and its abidance but it is totally working other-way around. Come on. lets set some example. OK demoting them can also be considered by the authorities concerned.
@Aftab Kenneth Wilson: Sir you haven't written any riddles for which i need to read thrice to understand, these parties are held every year and there has been no issue before, and i don't need to ask somebody around me,you must keep a check on whatever you are saying, i can not imagine an insane and ignorant society than ours which demands dismissal of the officers on such a petty issue.
@uzair: You are venting your anger because one of these officer is your father (according to your own comments above). Try to read my comments not once but thrice with cool head and also ask someone nearby about what rules say in this regards.
@Aftab Kenneth Wilson: i am lit rally shocked to see that pakistan has lost its sane citizen ,sir you are totally ignorant about the actual situation and yet you are passing such strong comments you better get your facts checked before saying anything on public forum ,like every year it was an open invitation sent to more than 50 police officials and bureaucrats and the only aim was to be more cordial with the executive,my question to this hypocrite nation is if american's are that huge of a threat to us then why are we allowing them to open consulates and embassies? and why are we getting their aid to feed ourselves, this surely is the work of ISI and MI just to discourage the officers, i wish our intelligence agency had known about osama bin laden's whereabouts,i wish they had known of that secret operation carried out in abbotabad, i wish they were really concerned about country's sovereignty than spying on police officers at the aftar party,shame on Intelligence agency!
In fact the machinery in Punjab seems to be a separate country within a country. These officers must not be made OSD but sacked. I hope the people in center will make them an example so that these types of "Free Hands" are not exercised again. The whole system in Punjab is being ruined by the present ruling elite. According to the Standing Order who ever is on the payroll of the government is not allowed to meet or visit foreign dignitaries in their personal capacity. This is totally unacceptable. .
A new philosophy of relationship is being introduced in Pakistan by elites and people of ruling class. One is official capacity as normal, second is personal capacity (newly introduced), third may come up as foreign capacity (as many have dual nationalities) and fourth and fifth have yet to come up. All actions and sayings will have to be judged and justified according to these capacities. One should be now very careful, particularly journalists and always ask the person; In what capacity you are talking, Honourable Sir!
@Kala Angraiz: i know these officers better than you and one of them is my father,they have nothing to do with US mission and their interests and none of them is "closely" related to US consul general,this is total crap .
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: sir you are passing very strong comments while you and rest of the people are totally ignorant of the exact situation, it was just an aftar dinner forGOD sake what has happened to the sane people of pakistan, they haven't sell themselves atleast like the army generals and our politicians
Erring Police officers claimed that they went to the dinner in their personal capacity and not as officials. Most of these Police Officers are closely related to the US consul General. Some are first cousins and others are second cousins. It is their good will that they are serving in Pakistan, otherwise they can go to USA in personal capacity any time and work on gas stations.
I think they were on duty somewhere nearby or just passing and could not resist the aroma of American foods and dinner and innocently ran and grabbed it, how much----they have forgotten, it was due to some old habit, will resist next time-InshaAllah, as have been told for the first time in life. Should they not enter also into hotels and other grand gala parties?
Ohhhhh.....poor guys wanted to get a green card for self and families.
@Asad Hasan: "The police should have bitter relations with US consulate "
dude, you crack me up
@Dr SA KHAN: "Every foreigner should be followed and their local contacts should be investigated.these are responsible for unrest in Pakistan."
btw I partly agree with your suggestion. We should follow every Arab diplomat (especially Saudis). And their local contacts in extremist seminaries/madrassahs should be investigated thoroughly. And they shouldn't be allowed to donate any money to these seminaries without prior approval of the government.
PS: You certainly are a paranoid android...
LMAO @CIA paid agents
Even CIA didn't know that whether it was an iftar dinner or a recruitment drive.....
DIG Khadim Hussain is the biggest thief.
Hats Off to IG PUNJAB to have the courage to call them for explanation.
Beware of US role in lahore and rest of our country.The US embassy has infiltrated into our admistrative organs like police also
where is the US diplomat who crushed a Pakistani by his car on raymond davis incident did someone ask US Councillor?
Slowly we r gonna find Alot more CIA paid pakistanis..shame on them who sell their soul for money..
Did the dining officers inquired about the US diplomat who crushed Muhammad Faizan on the day of raymond davis incident? The police should have bitter relations with US consulate as it is not handing over an absconder. what to talk of attendinding dinners..... and drone attacks! we forget everything .....why why why....
Attending Ifthar is nothing. Openly targeting own police officers indicates desperation at top circle !!!!
sack them without wasting any time.
Useless harassment of US diplomats.
Sack them they pose national security risk
@Mohan Ram:
What do you mean to say “would you be singing the same tune if it was your President or PM’?
Your question does not have any logic. What we are debating here about the low ranking Police Officials, and not the President or the Prime Minister. Do you understand or not?
By inviting senior officers in personal capacity by the American Consular, was to just expose them that their loyalty is toward US, and definitely a bold step from the officers as well. Talking non seriously that they were hungry for free dinner or wanted Green card etc. is just to make fool our self. At this stage perhaps Pakistan Government can not do anything against them.
@saadia: I agree with saadia. Every foreigner should be followed and their local contacts should be investigated.these are responsible for unrest in Pakistan.
Explanation ? US Green Card.
All these officers should be suspended till inquiry is completed. These officer are security threat for Pakistan. US Consulate should be asked explaination regarding this matter.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: Would you be singing the same tune if it was your President or PM
I wonder how Pakistan would respond if American's followed their diplomats around and questioned dinner guest? There would be a big stink and with good reason. .. I suggest you spend your resources trying to fight terrorist or restoring order in Karachi rather than following diplomats and spying on the USA embassy.
To attend iftar dinner at some one's invitation is not a sin at all. If US consulates are a security threat then why does not dare to throw these out of the country. Every one has a personal life and can attend iftar dinner.
The best public relations in the world are made by the US government and no one else.
As far as intelligence gathering is concerned, US is maintaining files right from the top up to level of SHO of all Police Stations of Pakistan.
Despite a ban by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, how come these Police Officials went to attend an Iftar Party at the residence of US Consul General in Lahore without obtaining prior written permission and clearance of Government of Pakistan?
I recommend that all such Police Officials who went for the Iftar Party should be suspended with immediate effect and an inquiry should be held in this respect as how they have gone to attend the Iftar Dinner without the permission of Government of Pakistan when our Government is paying for their salaries and not the US Government.
@check their accounts..or rather their wife and daughters.
Why is US Consulate General inviting such high ranking officials? How would America react if they found out that Pakistan consulate is inviting Washington Elite Police officers, FBI officials for dinner without informing their respective head office?!?
@Cautious: ...so it will be judges next time!
There are no free lunches or dinners in this world....... Rest you all guys are wise.
Personal capacity resulting from unofficial linkage. Here is an acid test of personal capacity.take away their official capacity(sack them immediately) and see if they will be invited by anyone including this embassy.
So going to dinner with an American is against the law in Pakistan?
police does not need free food or drinks, its truly free for them@KR:
Free food and DRINKS...........case solved very easy explanation, Mr. IG is upset simply becuase he was not invited.
Wow all these guys did was attend an iftar dinner and people are calling for their heads. Punjab govt, xenophobic much?
They all should be sacked and made example for others. Period
The officials who attended the iftar dinner include DIG Training Arif Nawaz, DIG Deputy Commandant Punjab Constabulary Khadim Hussain Bhatti, SP VVIP Security Lahore Waqas, SSP Elite Force Major Shehryar, SSP Major Nasrullah and SP Headquarters Lahore Romail Akram.
Can someone order probe into their accounts? Please! thank you.
What do they mean by personal capacity when they are in service. If it is so, let us retire these officers and then they can go any where in their personal capacity.
Its a piety. CIA has penetrated our police even... Personal capacities ? rolf everyone knows that there aren't any ' personal ' capacities when it comes to the US.
maybe they are personally on their payroll ;)