Daily Times

The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) of Dr Tahirul Qadri has called on the Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of appointment of controversial police officer Rana Shahzad Akbar as Deputy Inspector General Operations Lahore, because this appointment defies claims of fair and free elections.

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur in a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner on Friday said that Rana Shahzad Akbar has been PSO of former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif. He was a member of a Judicial Investigation Team formed by the Punjab government to investigate Model Town massacre and in this capacity he gave Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and Dr Tauqir Shah a clean chit, thus shamelessly violating the norms of justice.

The PAT general secretary alleged that Rana Shahzad was one of the characters involved in the Model Town incident. Appointment of a “stooge” of Sharif at a senior post in Lahore is defiance of norms of transparency, he added.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur further stated that interim chief minister, Home Minister Punjab and Inspector General of Punjab Police must also take notice of Rana Shahzad’s appointment. Since the Model Town incident is under trial at the Anti-Terrorist Court, hence appointment of such controversial officer at an important post is in way unjustified and he must be removed forthwith. He called on interim CM to remove all those police officers who are involved in Model Town incident, so that fair trial of this heinous incident could be ensured.

He said the Pakistan People’s Party and PAT must also take notice and condemn appointment of Rana Shahzad.

Published in Daily Times, June 30^th 2018.