KARACHI: Inspector general of the Sindh police A.D. Khowaja resumed charge after ending his leave on Monday and ordered an inquiry into the death of a girl student in the Sindh University hostel, according to a police spokesperson.

The IGP was reportedly sent on ‘forced leave’ by the provincial government amid media reports of ‘some differences’ with the PPP leadership on a host of issues, including recruitment as well as transfer and posting of police officers.

Civil society organisations have challenged his ‘forced leave’ before the Sindh High Court. A division bench led by SHC Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah put the provincial authorities on notice for Jan 12 and directed them to handle the matter in accordance with the apex court’s order in the famous Karachi suo motu case regarding ‘de-politicisation in the police’.

The IGP attended the 19th Apex Committee meeting held at Chief Minister House.

While resuming his office, the IGP issued two orders, one about the mysterious death of the girl student in the girls’ hostel of the University of Sindh and the other about enhancing security measures in the wake of a bomb attack in Quetta, the police spokesperson said.

Mr Khowaja directed the deputy inspector general of Hyderabad to conduct a detailed inquiry into the death of the girl student, Naila Rind, who was found hanging from the ceiling of a hostel room on Sunday.

He also issued directions for further strengthening of security arrangements at all government installations, shopping centres, airports, railway stations and bus terminals in the wake of the Quetta blast.

Published in Dawn January 3rd, 2017