RAWALPINDI: The seniority of 11 police officials, who were earlier demoted, was on Thursday re-fixed after which they were promoted to the rank of assistant sub-inspector.

The officials had been demoted on the directions of the Supreme Court by withdrawing their out-of-turn promotions.

Regional Police Officer (RPO) Mohammad Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja on Thursday issued a notification promoting the 11police officials. The officials promoted to the rank of ASI were: Mohammad Asghar, Khalid Mehmood, Mohammad Jameel, Tariq Mehmood, Nadeem Zafar, Suleman Ali, Nasir Mehmood, Farhat Abbas, Safdar Hussain and Ameer Qabul.

A special board, headed by the RPO, and comprising City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Abbasi, DPO Chakwal Munir Masood Marath and DPO Attock Zahid Nawaz Moravat, was constituted by the inspector general of the Punjab police to review the cases and revise the seniority of the demoted officials.

The board reviewed the cases one-by-one and also heard the affected officials.

Following the Supreme Court orders, the RPO had demoted 197 police officials by withdrawing their out-of-turn promotions and benefits in February 2016.

The apex court in its order issued on January 26, 2016, had directed the Punjab government to withdraw all out-of-turn promotions within four weeks and re-fix their seniority with their batch mates.

On the directions of the court, the RPO Rawalpindi had formed a seven-member committee, headed by SSP Sikandar Hayat, to review the cases of the police officials/officers who had got out-of-turn promotions and benefits.

In light with the committee’s recommendations, the police officials were demoted by withdrawing their out-of-turn promotions.

However, the police officials were assured by their senior officers that their cases would be reviewed and their seniority would be re-fixed.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2016