Faisal Shahkar replaces Rao Sardar as Punjab police chief ahead of CM poll

Development comes as provincial assembly session to elect new chief minister commences shortly

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Sardar excused himself from serving as the provincial police chief ahead of the crucial assembly session to elect a new chief minister on Friday.

Following his resignation, the establishment division in a notification said Faisal Shahkar, a BS-22 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, has been appointed as the new provincial police chief.

According to sources, Rao Sardar stepped down from the post following consultation with his colleagues, Express News reported.

CM Hamza Shehbaz after taking the reins of the province earlier in April this year had appointed and transferred all RPOs and 32 DPOs of his choice, according to the sources.

Former PM Imran Khan has time and again warned the Punjab police officials, who allegedly launched brutal crackdown on the PTI workers during the party’s “Azadi March” in May, of taking legal action against them.

Amid the strong possibility of Pervaiz Elahi — joint candidate of PTI-PML-Q for the post of Punjab CM — becoming the new provincial chief executive, many top police officers were ready to stand down from their posts, said the sources.

Also read: MPAs arrive but Punjab Assembly session for crucial poll faces delay

Earlier today, Elahi approached the Supreme Court against the deployment of the inspector general of police (IGP) in the house during the CM elections set to take place shortly.

The PML-Q leader, who is also a speaker of the Punjab Assembly, moved the court against the deputy speaker’s letter to the IGP and chief secretary regarding the deployment of security forces within the house as well as within precincts of the assembly.

In his petition, Elahi claimed that Deputy Speaker Dost Muhammad Mazari intends to interfere in the election process and that his letter to deploy security in the Punjab Assembly shows ill intentions.

He maintained that the IG Punjab should be stopped from entering the provincial assembly.