Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday suspended the provincial government’s notification regarding the removal of AD Khawaja as the Sindh IGP.

A two-judge bench ruled that Khawaja wasrestored to his position as IGP.The court ordered the Acting IG Sardar Abdul Majeed to relinquish hischarge immediately. The stay-order will remain operational till the next hearing of the case on April 6.

The court also observed that powers for removing IG Sindh had not been exercised through the cabinet. Therefore, contempt of court notices were issued to the Sindh chief secretary, Abdul Majeed Dasti and others.

The PPP government had surrendered the services of AD Khawaja to the federal government and appointed Additional IG Sardar Abdul Majeed Dasti, a grade-21 officer, in his place on March 31.

Earlier in December, 2016, the Sindh government had sent Khawaja on forced leave. However, he resumed the charge of his office after the SHC restrained the government from removing him in violation of the apex court’s orders.

On Monday, the court heard a contempt of court application filed by civil rights campaigners seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against the Sindh chief secretary and others for flouting court orders.

Faisal Siddiqui, the petitioner’s lawyer, submitted that the SHC had earlier directed the government not to remove Khawaja in violation of the High Court judgment. However, he added, the Sindh government had issued a notification on March 31, surrendering the services of Khawaja to the federal government and appointing Sardar Abdul Majeed in his place.

The judges observed that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had considered in detail the proper constitutional meaning of the federal government and the exercise of statutory powers that were conferred on the provincial governments that could be exercised only in cabinet and by cabinet divisions – not otherwise.

Sindh CM talking to reporters on Monday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that two IGPs were not working in Sindh. “The Sindh government is doing its job. The federal government should let us do our job. No interference should be made in our work.AD Khawaja did a good job and if a new IG comes, he will also do good work. I hope that the federation will let us do our work as per the law and constitution”.

PPP leader Maula Bakhsh Chandio said that the government would challenge the decision of the SHC in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.