Suspension orders for eight ‘negligent’ cops withdrawn
The high-ranking officers of the Rawalpindi Police have withdrawn the orders for suspension and expulsion from the district of eight police officials for alleged negligence and providing unhygienic food to 5,000 personnel during Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches.
All the suspended personnel were redeployed in the police mess.
Eight police officials including Inspector Muhammad Saleem, Sub-Inspector Ijaz Rasheed, ASI Abdul Qadeer, ASI Zahid Rasool, Head Constable Yasir Ammar, Constable Mudassir, Constable Iftikhar Ahmed and Constable Mohammad Idrees were suspended and expelled from Rawalpindi to Attock by Regional Police Officer (RPO) Syed Khurram Ali for providing substandard food to the personnel deployed for security of PSL matches.
Police sources told The Express Tribune that City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Mehmood Hamdani stood up in defence of all the suspended personnel and briefed the RPO that due to the sudden suspension of these officials, the process of providing food to 5,000 officials in PSL matches will be stopped, which may disrupt the most significant event.
Drawing the attention of the RPO towards the rule that an employee cannot be punished before the inquiry, the CPO suggested letting the investigation be conducted before announcing the punishment so that “the personnel may continue to get food during the PSL matches.”
The sources said that on the suggestion of the CPO, the RPO withdrew the suspension orders of the personnel and issued a new order directing that all the personnel should perform their respective duties.
The SP Headquarters will be responsible for checking the quality of food provided to the personnel, it said.
The sources further said that the delinquent personnel returned to their duties and the inquiry has also been stopped.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2023.