ISLAMABAD: Former inspector general of the capital police Aftab Ahmed Cheema on Monday challenged the non-recommendation of his name for promotion to BPS-21.

Mr Cheema was the IGP Islamabad when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) staged the longest ‘sit-ins’ outside Parliament House in August last year.

The government removed Mr Cheema from the post and put him under suspension after he allegedly did not use force against the protesters.

The former IGP filed a petition with the IHC which stated: “Petitioner has unblemished and excellent service career except an incident of August 2014 when he was posted as the IGP Islamabad. The petitioner was issued a charge-sheet to which a reply has already been submitted.”

Aftab Ahmed Cheema was removed from post during PTI, PAT sit-ins in capital last year

The petition contended that Mr Cheema was amongst the senior officers of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) whose case was placed before the Central Selection Board (CSB) for promotion from BPS-20 to BPS-21. But instead of promoting him, his junior officers were recommended for the promotion.

It added that being a semi-judicial forum, the CSB was authorised to examine the cases of the officers in accordance with the law in a just and fair manner. But the “CSB has not performed its duty fairly and justly.”

It claimed that “the petitioner has the requisite score among the officers of his group who were considered for promotion; therefore, not considering him for promotion amounts to nullifying his wholehearted service and outstanding career.”

The petition said the reason for not considering Mr Cheema for promotion was that he headed operations during August last year and had expressed certain reservations on the “interference of political big-shots.”

The petition also claimed that the CSB appeared to be recommending promotions on “whims and wishes and pick and choose policy.”

The petition requested the court to set aside the recommendations of the CSB for the promotion of his junior officers. It also requested the court to direct the respondents, including the establishment division and the CSB, to reconsider his case.

A single bench, comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, will hear the petition on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2015

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