Following the directives of the Supreme Court (SC), the Sindh Police have prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) to stop frequent transfers and postings of SHOs in the city, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Reportedly, after holding consultative meetings, Sindh Police chief Ghulam Haider Jamali has devised a set of directions for transfers of SHOs in order to satisfy the apex court as far as its observation on frequent transfers and postings of SHOs is concerned.
This significant development comes after a five-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, during the hearing of the Karachi law and order suo moto, observed that frequent transfers of police officers were tantamount to shaking their confidence. The court observed that except for two police officers in the Karachi Police, no other police officer completed their tenure of posting. It also observed that tenure security was necessary for accountability of officers.
According to official sources Pakistan Today talked to, the IGP is trying to satisfy the apex court which had rejected a report submitted by him on the first day of hearing. “The purpose behind this move is to show the apex court that the Police Department was implementing its directives,” they said, adding the IGP held overnight meetings with the high-ups to get their nod over the fixed tenure for SHOs.
“We welcome this move. It will give us time to understand our jurisdiction and the crime trend,” remarked Darakhshan Police Station SHO Rana Amjad Anwar.
Mehmoodabad Police Station SHO Sarwar Commando however depreciated this development, saying that blue-eyed officers would be posted as SHOs for a longer time period. He added that the transfer of a SHO should be made after evaluating his performance.
Mominabad Police Station SHO Sabir Khattak welcomed the decision, and said that the officers deployed would show responsibility as they would be held accountable when their tenure of posting ended.
When contacted, IGP Ghulam Jamali confirmed the move was meant to stop frequent postings of SHOs. “The apex court raised a question mark over frequent transfers and postings of SHOs. And we endorse the court’s observation and have decided to prepare a SOP to stop transfers and postings of SHOs without a valid reason.”
To a query, he said that inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors and sub-inspectors were appointed as SHOs, but from now on, SHOs would be appointed keeping in view the performance of officials.
