June 26, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 21, 1429

KARACHI, June 25: Senior Minister of Sindh Pir Mazharul Haq said on Wednesday that former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and his allies were involved in the out-of-turn promotions of some police officers.

“The police officers were given promotions as a reward for rigging the elections in favour of the Muslim League-Q and supporting other illegal actions of the Arbab government,” he said while responding to supplementary questions during question hour on behalf of Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza in the Sindh Assembly.

MPA Humera Alwani, Shama Mithani and Dr Rafiq Banbhan wanted to know about the out-of-turn promotions in the police department and the persons involved in it besides the criteria adopted for such promotions.

Pir Mazhar, who holds the portfolios of education and special prosecution, said investigation was under way into such promotions and legal action would be taken in the light of the inquiry report.

He added that Arbab Rahim was currently in Dubai. He said 36 police officers were promoted out of turn from January 2003 to August 2007, whose list was placed in the house, and added that no action had been taken to demote them as yet.

Pir Mazhar said if needed, the cases could be referred to the National Accountability Board or the Anti-Corruption Establishment.

Replying to a question by Humera Alwani and Shehryar Mehar, the minister said that Major Mohammad Amin Rehmani of Shahbaz Rangers was kidnapped by some unknown persons on April 16 and added that some influential people were involved in his kidnapping.

“An inquiry is under way. We have an indication about the hidden elements and their motives for the kidnapping,” he said, asking the opposition members in the Sindh Assembly that they were also well aware of those elements.

Answering a question about why tinted glass vehicles were still present on the Sindh Assembly premises, he said the law would come into action soon as those vehicles had been noticed. He said nobody – including opposition members in the Sindh Assembly – were above the law.—PPI