Illegal promotion? Govt defends Shahid Hayat’s appointment

Officials said his appointment was in violation of rules.

KARACHI: Sindh advocate general Khalid Javed Khan defended on Thursday the appointment of AIG Shahid Hayat as the city police chief, saying he was appointed in accordance with the provisions of service rules.

Khan made this submission on a petition filed by five senior police officers, who had challenged the appointment of Hayat to the senior post, which was allegedly in violation of the service rules and regulations. The petition was filed by DIG AD Khawaja, AIG Bashir Memon, DIG Sanaullah Abbasi, DIG Azhar Rashid and CID DIG Dr Ameer Ahmed Shaikh.



Hayat took over as Karachi’s police chief on September 12, almost a week after the law-enforcement agencies launched an operation against criminals in the city. Several political parties have criticised his appointment because of his controversial role in the 1990s operation and his alleged involvement in the Murtaza Bhutto murder case.

On Thursday, the advocate general submitted the comments of the provincial government, which defended the appointment of Hayat claiming it had been made in accordance with the laws. Justice Muhammad ALi Mazhar, who headed the bench, asked the petitioners’ lawyer, Barrister Zamir Ghumbo, to file a counter affidavit or rebuttal to the arguments, on November 26.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2013.