Top cop on leave from political heat

LAHORE:

After finding himself amidst a political confrontation between the federal and provincial governments, Inspector General of Punjab Police Faisal Shahkar has gone leave for two weeks.

Elite Force Additional IG Kunwar Muhammad Shahrukh, a grade 21 police officer, has been given the additional charge of IGP.

As per a notification by the Punjab Services and General Administration Department, Shahkar was granted 14-day ex-Pakistan leave with effect from November 10 to 23 to perform Umrah. The officer had reportedly sent a written request to the Establishment Division recently to transfer his services to the federal government, saying he was unable to perform his duties in Punjab due to personal reasons.

Shahkar had been appointed as the Punjab IGP a day before Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was elected Chief Minister.

He had been appointed by the Pakistan Musli. League-Nawaz (PML-N) government after Rao Sardar had refused to work as the IG Punjab some leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), especially Shahbaz Gill, harshly criticised him.

Chief Minister Elahi had vowed to continue working with Shahkar and reiterated the announcement on the Police Martyrs Day on August 4. However, the CM Office and PTI leadership continuously remained in rift with the IGP.

According to sources, Shahkar had been frustrated allegedly due to pressure by PTI and PML-Q leaders for appointments on key positions.

Committees were also formed to mediate upon differences over transfer and posting of police commanders.

The tension mounted after the Punjab government started insisting for registration of cases on a political basis as well as what was deemed vindictive actions against police officers involved in a crackdown on a PTI long march on May 25.

However, things somehow continued working until the Wazirabad incident of firing on former prime minister Imran Khan’s container happened and the PTI leadership insisted for inclusion of names of the prime minister of Pakistan, federal interior minister and a senior military officer as accused in the FIR.

When IGP Shahkar resisted the demand and conveyed that the case should be registered as per findings of the investigations and the facts, PTI leaders were annoyed and they started criticising him in public meetings.

The Punjab government then expressed lack of confidence in Shahkar in a cabinet meeting and also wrote to the Establishment Division to replace him. The provincial government sent a panel of three names three for the appointed of the new IGP. Shahkar’s request to the Establishment Division for transfer was not entertained and he was asked to continue working as the inspector general of police in Punjab.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Office started holding meetings without inviting Shahkar.

Subsequently, the IGP, finding no other way, applied to the chief secretary for the ex-Pakistan leave.

He had also recently been appointed as police adviser to the United Nations (UN) secretary general. He is scheduled to join the lucrative post in January next year. He also needed approval from the federal government for the purpose.

In this conundrum, he was caught between the devil and the deep sea. The PTI had been coming down hard on him for not complying with its wishes, while he needed government approval for joining the UN.

On the other hand, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, who has been suspended by the Establishment Division, is reportedly looking for other options after getting no relief from the Lahore High Court. The sources said he had approached the IGP’s office to contact the Establishment Division in his favour.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2022.