LAHORE, Oct 12: The removal of Bhakkar DPO Ahmad Kamal and registration of a case against him has sent a wave of concern among senior police officers all over the province who consider the action ‘wrong and contrary to the facts’. A main official of the PML-N Punjab government admitted that the DPO was one of the best officers selected by the top men and he had fallen a victim to misreporting to the chief minister.

The DPO was removed and a case of negligence was registered against him following the suicide attack at the outhouse of PML-N MNA Rashid Akbar Nivani, killing several people and injuring many others.

A number of senior officials belonging to the Police Service of Pakistan told Dawn on Sunday that the action against the DPO had traumatised the police bureaucracy as well as the force.

One of the officers said the removal of Punjab IG, Lahore DIG, SP traffic and some others on the complaint of an MPA who was stopped by a traffic ASI for allegedly using tinted glasses on his car many years ago had also traumatised the police force.

It had taken years for the force to get their confidence restored that they could also question the conduct of those who matter, he added.

The official claimed the action against Mr Kamal was politically motivated because MNAs were not entitled to police security. It looked that someone had settled some personal score with the DPO, he added.

The registration of a case against the DPO was first of its kind.