False statement: Additional IG summoned

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued a show cause notice to Additional Inspector General Malik Khuda Bakhsh Awan over a statement he made during the hearing of a contempt plea against Inspector General (IG) Habibur Rehman. The contempt petition was moved by Rashid Mehmood, a Central Investigation Department inspector. He has accused the inspector general of Punjab Police of contempt for not carrying out court orders that the petitioner be promoted as of 1992 in view of a decision by the Punjab Services Tribunal. The court had summoned the IG, but the additional inspector general appeared instead and stated that the Punjab Services Tribunal had ordered the police to consider the petitioner for promotion according to merit. He said that the petitioner’s seniority had been considered and it had been decided that he didn’t merit a promotion. The court rejected Awan’s statement, saying that the Punjab Services Tribunal had clearly ordered that the petitioner be promoted on the basis of seniority. Justice Muhammad Khalid Mahmood Khan issued a show cause notice to Awan for making an incorrect statement and adjourned till October 7. The additional inspector general was directed to appear in person at the next hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2012.