Daily Times

Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Abid Hussain Chattha issued notices to the concerned quarters on Friday seeking a reply in a plea challenging Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore’s continuity of tenure despite suspension. According to petitioner Safdar Abbas Khan, CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar has continued to hold office despite having been suspended by the federal government. The plea sought the respondent CCPO to be directed against serving duties any further.

The CCPO Lahore, federal government through its cabinet division, Punjab through its secretary home department and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab were made respondents in the case. The petition implored the court that the CCPO Lahore had been transferred with a clear direction to report to the Establishment Division Islamabad, but the CCPO did not relinquish his duties from the post. After failing to comply with the directives, the CCPO was placed under suspension by the Establishment Division with immediate effect and until further orders.

However, the petitioner alleged that the CCPO has since continued to work at the post till date and argued that the situation has jeopradised the security of a city of two million people. Imploring the court to take notice of the issue, the petitioner argued that as per Police Order 2002, the federal government was empowered to recall the duties of a police officer as capital city police officer. “The notification issued on September 19, 2022 and November 5, 2022 are unambiguous to this effect hence the CCPO is required to relinquish the post,” added the petition, stating that “such holding of office of CCPO Lahore by the respondent is clearly against the law and he has no authority to usurp the post”. Justice Chattha heard the arguments and issued notices to concerned parties seeking a response on the matter.