- New Pakistan, old egos in IGP transfer case
The sudden and initially mysterious transfer of Inspector General of Police, Islamabad on October 27 opened another image tainting issue for the green in governance PTI, but the underlying lamentable incident of bashing the down-trodden by those puffed up with power and wealth, may perhaps end in resignation of federal minister for science and technology, due to force of overwhelming evidence and apex court’s stand against highhanded actions, as per the law and constitution. Friday’s hearing provided an unfortunate finale in that the IGP whose ‘vendetta’ transfer, later suspended by the Supreme Court, himself desired to be allowed to move on to his new posting, a reasonable request that the court did not deny. No doubt the embarrassing experience of former IGP, Sindh, AD Khawaja, in a similar heavily politicised situation, influenced the official’s decision. But he was also instructed to complete an inquiry the same day into the so-called ‘farmhouse fight’ between the son and minions of the influential minister, and poor refugees from Bijaur Agency who had fled the fighting in the war on terror. The latter too received some moral tribal support.
So the concerned cabinet minister faces future ordeals and worries. Although ‘forgiven’ (as is usual!) by the abused and bullied family, he now faces a Joint Investigation Team being set up by the apex court, comprising the intelligence Bureau, the Federal Investigation Agency and the National Accountability Bureau, a potent mix indeed. It will probe the entire case starting from the single cow or buffalo’s farm ‘invasion’ and brave capture, the imprisonment of the ‘accountable’ family using ministerial clout, to the IGP’S suspicious transfer, and no doubt the minister’s reported Midas Touch regarding his personal finances will also come under intense scrutiny. That dreaded nightmare of wayward politicians, Article 62 (1) (f), now also hangs over his head, but the PTI too stands in the great court of public opinion, and it has to prove its objectivity in this case, otherwise its slogan of ‘new Pakistan’ will be considered a hollow falsity. It can do itself some good by reining in overly severe and garrulous information ministers, both in the centre and Punjab.
