Another IG Punjab transferred-CCPO lahore proved too strong for Shoaib Dastgir

 Can this be the said good governance?

The Punjab government removed IG Punjab Shoaib Dastgir from the post of Inspector General of Police. He became fifth IG police that has been transferred from his post in two years. The PTI leadership including PM Imran Khan while in opposition was used to criticise the previous government of PML-N for quickly transferring the senior bureaucrats and police officers. 

Imran Khan as opposition leader was use to stress on merit and security of tenure to senior officials. But since forming the government in Punjab two years ago, the PTI government in Punjab has been following the transfer and posting policy of previous government. 

So far, the average tenure on the post of IG Punjab is 05 (five) months. Five IG police has so far been changed in two years. The Punjab government has appointed sixth IG Punjab. God knows that how long the new IGP will survive.       

A notification issued by the Cabinet Division said that the official, who is a BS-22 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, has been transferred and posted as the secretary of the Narcotics Control Division with immediate effect.

The former IGP  Shoaib Dastgir developed differences with the government over the appointment of CCPO Lahore Umar Shaikh. The former IGP  refused  to work under the PTI government over the recent appointment of Umar Sheikh as the Lahore capital city police officer (CCPO) without his consultation, and had asked the chief minister to transfer him to a “suitable location”.

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One of the reasons said to have prompted the IG to approach the chief minister and prime minister were some comments the CCPO had allegedly passed while talking to a few police officers on his first day at the office, which was less than a week ago.

The former IGP Dastgir had met Chief Minister Buzdar on Monday and requested him for a “transfer to any other suitable place”, saying he would not continue as the provincial police chief until the removal of the CCPO.

He was also said to have skipped office on Monday and met with the chief minister in plain clothes, giving the Punjab government the message that he would not accept Sheikh as the CCPO at any cost.

The official source had said that the CCPO’s comments said to have irked the IG were regarding the latter’s impending retirement.Shoaib Dastgir had visited Islamabad on Friday and complained to Prime Minister Imran Khan seeking the CCPO's transfer, which was turned down.

Sources had said Buzdar had recommended Sheikh’s name to the prime minister for the CCPO slot. After a 45-minute interview, a federal government team sent by the PM had okayed Sheikh’s name, and the PM accorded his final approval during his visit to Lahore on Sept 3.The IG was allegedly not taken on board during the entire process.

The media spin masters of PTI government now trying to link the removal of IGP with performance. According to them, the performance of IGP Dastgir was not up to mark so subsequently he was removed. 

Addressing the matter later in the day, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said that anyone "who can't perform" will be removed, adding that it was the prime minister's prerogative to appoint to the post."If anyone becomes a hurdle in implementation of orders, then we will change [them]. This will happen," he told reporters at a press briefing.

The matter of fact is that this cooked up story of  performance is not true. The PM imran Khan himself praised the performance of IGP Shoaib on many occasions in past 09 months. The government spin masters are now contradicting the previous statements of their own prime minister. 

The request of IGP to initiate the inquiry  against CCPO Lahore for violating the discipline was rejected by Punjab government and sided with CCPO Lahore. The decision of  Punjab government to appoint Umer Sheikh as CCPO Lahore raise serious questions because selection board refused to promote him in basic scale 21 from 20. The way Punjab and federal ministers are defending the appointment of CCPO also raised questions.   

The opposition party PML-N is alleging that CCPO Lahore has been appointed to suppress the PML-N in lahore before the local government elections in Punjab. PTI government is desperate to win the election of mayor Lahore. 

PML-N is alleging that CCPO Lahore is targeting the PML-N workers to please his political masters. Some senior journalists based in Lahore has confirmed the role of advisor to PM Shahzad Akbar in the appointment of CCPO. The Punjab government is denying the allegations of political appointment of CCPO. 

Punjab government is not setting  example of good governance it promised before the elections. Instead, it is setting examples of bad governance. The promised police reforms are still distant dream. PTI government in Punjab is doing what the PML-N government in Punjab was used to do. 

This whole episode is enough to expose the tall claims of change and good governance. 

                                                                                    The Editor