–Saleemi, a Grade-22 officer, is said to be a close relative of Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar
–Fawad Chaudhry says Muhammad Tahir had been replaced for not abiding by the govt’s orders
LAHORE: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday suspended the government’s notification announcing the appointment of Amjad Javed Saleemi as the Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Saleemi is said to be a close relative of Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar.
Hours after Saleemi’s appointment was announced, the election watchdog informed the Establishment Division through a letter that it had suspended the Cabinet Division’s notification as it was a violation of the commission’s directives of September 3, 2018, banning postings and transfers of government officials in the wake of the by-elections scheduled for October 14.
Through the letter, the ECP director (elections) instructed the establishment secretary to explain within two days why its directions “have not been complied with”.
Earlier in the day, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for Punjab had been changed for a second time in two months, as Saleemi replaced Muhammad Tahir as the provincial police chief. The Cabinet Secretariat’s notification had announced the change “with immediate effect and until further orders”.
There was no reason mentioned for the transfer in the notification.
With the suspension of the notification, Tahir has been reinstated as the Punjab police chief.
Reacting to the premature transfer of Saleemi, Advisor on Police Reforms for Punjab Nasir Durrani has resigned from his post, according to media reports.
Saleemi, a BS-22 officer, was serving as the commandant of National Police Academy until recently, before which he had been posted as the Sindh IGP.
After a shuffle in the police force in September, Saleemi was replaced in Sindh by Syed Kaleem Imam who was the then Punjab IGP. Tahir, who was the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) IGP at the time, was appointed as Punjab’s police chief. Salahuddin Khan assumed the position of KP’s police chief.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry claimed that Muhammad Tahir was being replaced for not abiding by the government orders. The government had also developed disagreements with the Punjab IG over some inter-departmental issues, he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb alleged that the government’s decision to replace the Punjab police chief just days ahead of by-elections was aimed at rigging the October 14 by-polls.
Addressing a news conference, she urged Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar to take notice of the issue. The PTI government in Punjab was also not happy with IGP Tahir Khan over arrest of senior provincial minister Mehmoodur Rasheed’s son, she added.
