Cops threaten to quit over lawyers' 'highhandedness'

The standoff between lawyers and Hyderabad police which seemed to have died down after announcement of SSP Farrukh Ali Lanjar's transfer resurrected on Wednesday with cops threatening to leave police stations in protest.

Dozens of policemen submitted applications seeking permission to leave their charges for month-long leaves in reaction to announcement of the SSP's removal under pressure of the legal fraternity.

At around 3am on Wednesday a video was shared on social media showing DIG Hyderabad Tariq Razzak Dharejo standing next to Karachi Bar Association's President Amir Nawaz Waraich who announced Lanjar's removal. "The SSP is being transferred and the DIG will visit the district bar on February 6," Waraich said, addressing the protesting lawyers on the premises of the SSP office where the protest continued for around 14 hours.

The DIG said on the occasion that during his visit to the bar he will listen to the lawyers and will also try to address their grievance. The lawyers chanted slogans in the background as Waraich and Dharejo spoke. The development, however, did not go well with the district police officials who felt demoralised at the hands of lawyers.

The quarrel started in reaction to impounding of a car, owned by an advocate, at PS Bhitai Nagar for using fancy number plate and tinted glasses. The legal practitioners asked the police to cancel the FIR and release the Suzuki Mehran car, bearing registration number BQC-508. As the police refused to oblige, the lawyers gathered at the SSP office on Tuesday in large numbers. The gathering soon turned into a protest which lasted past Wednesday midnight.

"In view of the illegal act of the lawyers at the SSP office, I am unable to discharge my duty and I also feel dejected," wrote inspector Munir Abbassi, SHO Market police station, in his application.

"The unnecessary protest by lawyers, use of inappropriate language against police and threats give to the cops have damaged reputation of police among the public," stated Inspector Muhammad Sagheer Fateh, in charge of Anti-Terrorism Force, while seeking leave from work.

Earlier till the morning an impression was created that SSP Lanjar will be forced to quit from Hyderabad under duress of the legal fraternity. But, as the city's police officials put their weight behind the district police chief, the situation changed in the afternoon.

Talking to the media outside SSP's office DIG Dharejo, who was wearing a track suit, explained that following the terrorist attack near Karachi airport, the Sindh police decided to enforce the ban on use of police lights, fancy number plates and tinted glasses in private vehicles. He claimed that the ban is being enforced without discrimination as vehicles of even influential persons and police officers have been booked in FIRs.

He told that Hyderabad police booked a car which was owned by a lawyer in consequence to which the situation pitting the cops against lawyers had developed. He said they are trying to solve the situation.

The DIG, however, took a mild exception to use of objectionable words allegedly by the lawyers against policemen saying the manner did not suit their profession. SSP Lanjar, meanwhile, said more than 50 FIRs have been recently lodged in Hyderabad against such vehicles. He added that many vehicles were owned by government officers and one was owned by a police officer currently posted in Jamshoro district.