December 27, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 16, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 26: The Caretakers seem to be no different from those who don’t care what they do with the rules and regulations governing the business of the state. A recent case is two covert (dis)appointments in police department.

In the first instance, a BS-18 police officer on special duty has occupied the office of the AIG (Administration) in the Central Police Office, reportedly on the verbal orders of the Punjab government high-ups.

The officer was made an OSD earlier this month when the Lahore High Court took note of his posting as SSP (investigation) Lahore, a BS-19 post, in violation of the Police Order 2002.

Police sources, privy to the development, confided to Dawn that SP Capt Syed Ahmad Mobeen (retired), who was removed from SSP (investigation) Lahore post just after a two-month stint, currently an OSD, has been occupying the AIG (admn) office for the last two weeks for ‘special election duty’.

Though the officer was not signing any document, he was enjoying the protocol of the senior post, the sources said.

The sources said as the Election Commission of Pakistan had banned transfers and postings of government officers ahead of the polls, the IGP apparently avoided Mr Mobeen’s posting as AIG (admn) despite the BS-18 officer’s keenness for the post.

However, as the pressure from the Caretaker rulers mounted, Mr Mobeen was assigned the stated task of supervising and preparing list of police officials for election duty in all districts of Punjab, they added.

The official was working un-officially on the agenda of the government — to influence the upcoming elections in favour of certain quarters, they said.

Currently, AIG (Logistics) Rai Tahir has additional charge of the AIG post.

Before being posted as SSP (investigation) Lahore on Sept 25, 2007, Capt Mobeen was discharging his duty as AIG (admn).

A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said assignment to a police officer without formal posting was an indication that it was aimed at influencing the elections. “You can not move even an inch without the requisite specific lawful written order of the competent authority,” he added.

SP Mobeen Ahmed, however, denied he had been given any election-related assignment, hastening to add that he visited the CPO office only four times since he returned from a private foreign tour. “DIG (headquarters) had called me to finalise police deployment plan to maintain law and order as I had the requisite experience. I assisted AIG (operations) and did nothing else. I hardly used the AIG’s (admn) office once or twice,” the officer claimed.

Meanwhile, according to unconfirmed reports, the Chief Minister’s secretariat has informally approved SP Chaudhry Shafqaat Ahmed for the slot of SSP (investigation), Lahore, on Wednesday.

Mr Shafqaat was transferred from the same post in 2006 on the orders of the Lahore High Court, which directed the government to post the officers in line with the Police Order 2002.

His posting, though not notified officially so far, is also being termed a move to influence Lahore elections, a police officer, seeking anonymity, told Dawn. Mr Shafqaat would try to accomplish the `official task’ from behind the scene, he added.

Punjab IG Ahmed Nasim was not available for his comments despite dropping messages to his telephone operators twice.