PSP officers say nothing wrong with SSP Arsla Salim’s salute to Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: In a surprise development, officers from the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) have defended SSP Arsla Salim’s salute to Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, when she reached Federal Judicial Academy on Wednesday to appear before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) for interrogation

Talking to Pakistan Today on the telephone on Thursday, a PSP officer posted in Peshawar, seeking anonymity, said that he did not see anything wrong with that. “There is nothing wrong in saluting Maryam Nawaz. Chapter II about Saluting in Police order 2002 is clear, and she did according to it,” he said, pointing out Rule 17.b in this regard.

He said that Arsla Salim is a humble lady and she is kind to everyone.
Former Inspector General of Islamabad Police Tahir Alam Khan wrote a strong and emotional messgage on Facebook.
He wrote: “It is Sad to see media attitude towards a lady police officer of Islmbd, Arsala Saleem SP. As an Ex Inspector General of Islamabad police I watched the working of Arsala very closely and can say confidently that she may salute to an unauthorized personality (Madam Mariam Nawaz) but can’t obey any illegal order of her seniors, even she is the officer who has courage enough to refuse the illegal orders of the father of Mariam Nawaz, who is the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Contrary to this many senior bureaucrats they apparently look very strong and having steel in their necks but could be seen to licking the boots of their political bosses for their personal gains and lucrative postings but save themselves from the eyes of cameras. Whereas, cameras caught the poor Arsala who is down to earth a very humble, simple and disciplined officer, whom I observed that if some paper at my office table fell down the floor, she immediately picked it before being picked by office assistant. I request the critics, criticize their political opponents but do not punish an upright and honest lady officer who may salute to give respect some personality but can’t go down herself before out of the merits.”

Another police officer Hasan Jahangir Watto also defended her actions on social media. He wrote on Facebook: “Arsla Salim is one of the most professional and balanced officers we have in the service of this country. She is humble, down to earth and responsive towards each and every single individual that approaches her for help, and is always willing to help anyone in need, irrespective of their background or class.
You would always see her with a positive attitude and outlook towards life and towards all people around her.”

She has excelled in her life and career only through her professionalism, integrity and character and will always do so, he added.

No amount of negative propaganda can damage her reputation because she lives in the hearts of the people who have gotten relief due to her, he claimed. “Everyone around her knows what a great lady she is,” he said, adding all the people, including myself, who know Madam Arsla personally, hold her in high esteem and will continue to do so.

District Police Officer Gujrat Sohail Zaffar Chatha, a PSP officer, also defended Arsla.

He wrote on Facebook: “The brouhaha over a female police officer saluting Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the mass verbal abuse directed at her on social media, and the crazed, strident demands for her apology, her job, her soul – one begins to understand both our utter inability as a culture to prioritise real issues, as well as our routine tolerance for vilification, demonisation and lynching. (And for those who will critique that this is too heavy – we love to pick on sundry acts and omissions of individuals, make them look like the worst villains ever, and fling sticks and stones at them till they bleed to death).”

It is pepertinento mention here that citizens took to social media, including Twitter, Facebook and other networks, to criticise SSP Arsla’s salute to Maryam.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan voiced his criticism on Maryam Nawaz Sharif “getting official protocol with police saluting” as she made her way to appear before the Panama Case Joint Investigation Team (JIT).
He wrote on Twitter:

Inexplicable why private citizen Maryam getting official protocol with police saluting as she goes to appear before criminal investigation?

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 5, 2017

Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza said she was taken from court to jail without lady police. “kiya main kisi ki Beti nahi thee Mian sahib,” she asked while writing “shame shame shame.”

Shame indeed @SyedaShehlaRaza https://t.co/GgBVBrtbUo

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) July 5, 2017