–IGP Jan had supposedly refused to file an FIR at PTI minister Azam Swati’s request, which led to his transfer
–PTI govt denies media reports, says Swati has nothing to do with issue, IGP’s transfer was due for over a week
A day after Islamabad Inspector General Jan Muhammad was fired over his refusal to register a case at a federal minister’s behest, the police filed an FIR in the same, implicating several persons, including a minor.
Islamabad Police on Sunday filed an FIR, against several persons over a dispute between neighbours, at the request of Federal Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati’s son after the inspector general was transferred a day earlier.
According to a notification issued on Saturday, ex-IG Jan Muhammad, a grade-20 officer, was transferred and ordered to report immediately at the Establishment Division until further orders.
According to details, the minister’s son filed an FIR at the Shehzad Town Police Station on Sunday against several persons for allegedly letting their animals into the fields and quarrelling with his servants. On being stopped, the suspects attacked the employees with axes and also snatched weapons from the security guards, and held them hostage, the FIR stated.
After an FIR was filed on Sunday, the police took action against the suspects and arrested two women, a teenage girl and an elderly woman. A minor boy has also been arrested, according to reports, which were quickly denied by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Twitter who said no minors were arrested by the police.
The two women have been sent to jail while police have obtained physical remand of two other suspects, Ahsanullah and Niaz.
SWATI ‘ADMITS’:
Though the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government on Sunday rejected the reports claiming that IG Muhammad was transferred because he delayed hearing Swati’s phone call, the federal minister himself later admitted that the cow of suspects — arrested by the police — caused damage to the fruit trees at his farmhouse.
“I tried to call Islamabad IG multiple times but he didn’t answer,” the PTI senator said, adding that when his servants were attacked, he used the standard procedure, not any influence. However, he mentioned that both interior secretary and State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi were directly involved in his case.
Reacting to the purported arrest of a minor, the minister maintained that his family did not lodge any case against the minors.
GOVT DENIES:
Reacting to the reports circulating in sections of media, the federal government, through its Twitter handle FakeNewsBusterMoIB, termed it “fake news”.
The ministry of interior also refuted the claims, saying that the transfer of capital’s IG was due for over a week. Senator Swati had nothing to do with it, it added.
PPP SENATOR ALLEGES SWATI:
Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mustafa Khokhar has claimed that the police official was removed because he had refused to obey “illegal orders” of the minister. The minister is trying to bring police into his personal disputes, he said.
This is not the first time the PTI government has come under fire for allegedly influencing the transfer and removal of senior police officials. On October 10, the federal government removed Punjab IG Mohammad Tahir and replaced him with Amjad Javed Saleemi. Subsequently, Punjab Police Reforms Commission Chairman Nasir Khan Durrani had resigned from his office which was apparently in protest against the premature transfer of Tahir.
On October 3, the investigation ordered by the Supreme Court into the transfer of DPO Pakpattan Rizwan Gondal had confirmed that the police officer was removed under political pressure exerted by Punjab Chief Minister’s Office. The SC on September 17 directed for another inquiry into the transfer of Pakpattan former DPO Rizwan Gondal after rejecting the earlier inquiry made by Punjab ex-IGP Kaleem Imam into the matter.
