Police postings: Top officers in contempt over promotions

Policemen claim that the SHC had promoted them to BPS 20 earlier.

KARACHI: Two police officers are engaged in a legal battle for their promotions, arguing that their superiors are in contempt of court for not following its orders.

Dost Ali Baloch and Muhammad Malik, two of the senior most police officers of the Police Service of Pakistan cadre, filed an application, that was heard on Tuesday.

According to their lawyer, Muhammad Aqil Awan, a Sindh High Court bench had earlier on promoted them to the next grade, BPS 20, while disposing of their petition. The court had then ordered the officials named in the petition to post the two men as deputy inspectors general.

However, according to their lawyer, in order to circumvent the court’s decision and to keep Baloch and Malik away from active service and important postings,  despite their reputation as honest and competent officers, two new posts were created. They were posted to these offices.

On Tuesday, a division bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Salman Ahmed ordered for contempt of court notices to be issued to the inspector general of police, the chief secretary and the other alleged contemnors for October 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd,  2011.