Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday decided to transfer incumbent Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kaleem Imam to the post of secretary Narcotics Division of the federal government, a private TV channel reported.

The decision was taken at a meeting between PM Imran and Sindh IGP Imam in Islamabad. During the meeting, the province’s top cop briefed the prime minister regarding the law and order situation across the province.

The federal cabinet had on Tuesday delayed the appointment of a new Inspector General Police (IGP) Sindh after the government’s allies expressed ‘deep reservations’ over a request by Sindh to transfer Imam out of the province. After the cabinet meeting, the prime minister had directed Sindh governor to develop consensus with the chief minister on the appointment of new IGP.

However, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Wednesday said the governor and the opposition have no role in appointing the new IGP in Sindh. Speaking to media, Sindh Chief Minister’s Adviser on Information, Law, and Anti-Corruption Murtaza Wahab expressed disappointment over the federal government’s move to backtrack from appointing a new IGP in Sindh. He said the federal government was provided three names by the Sindh government at first and later two more for the post of Sindh IGP. The consultation process between the federal government and Sindh had started on December 23, 2019, he added. “We were told that the prime minister was in Davos and that he would resolve the issue [of the new IG’s appointment] as soon as he returns to the country,” said Wahab.

He said all five names proposed by the Sindh government were discussed during a one-on-one meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The meeting had ended on a positive note after both signed off on one name for the post of Sindh’s top cop, he added.

Wahab said the Sindh government was taken aback when Dr Imam, while speaking at an event on Tuesday, had said “he was going nowhere and if he does, he will move to a higher post”. “When the media asked us questions [about Dr Imam’s statement], we told them that the consultation between the federal and provincial governments was over,” he said.

Wahab said it was disappointing to see how the federal government backtracked on its promise when Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Firdous Ashiq Awan had announced that the decision to appoint the new IG had been delayed.

Wahab further said the Sindh government believed in the rule of law and had been elected by the people. The governor and opposition had no role in the new IG’s appointment, he added. He said the Sindh chief minister was a representative of the people and it was his constitutional right to change the police chief if he deemed so. He expressed the hope that the new IG will be appointed along the lines of the consultations held during January 27 meeting between the prime minister and the chief minister.

Sindh Minister for Information and Labour Saeed Ghani also said that in accordance with the police law, it is not mandatory for the provincial government to consult with Sindh governor before requesting the federal government for the replacement of IGP. He expressed surprise at the decision of the federal cabinet, saying that no approval was sought from the federal cabinet at the time of replacement of inspector generals of police in Punjab and KP.

Ghani said the Sindh government will not consult with the governor on the issue of the replacement of IGP. “It is illegal to consult with governor regarding the appointment of IG, because the governor has nothing to do with this appointment,” he said.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also lashed out at Prime Minister Imran on Wednesday by stating that the “PM won’t do his job & agree to an IG” as the federal government delayed appointment of the new Sindh IG. Taking to Twitter, Bhutto reacted to the federal government’s decision to defer the appointment of the new Sindh IGP. He stated that the prime minister had changed Islamabad IGP when “he didn’t obey illegal orders to take action against a poor family”, referring to the incident involving Azam Swati more than a year ago. “PM changed IGP Islamabad as he didn’t obey illegal orders to take action against a poor family whose cow had dared to stray into a ministers home. After months of deteriorating law and order, on public demand, when the elected representatives of the people of Sindh,” he tweeted. “Send 5 names on basis of seniority for a new IG to federal government. PM won’t do his job & agree to an IG. This is another eg of #AikNahiDo Pakistan & the joke that is #NayaPakistan. It would be funny if this did not have such serious consequences for real peoples lives.”