KARACHI, July 8: The Sindh government has granted retirement to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Mohammad Malik in advance with an award of a two-year contract to him to serve as DIG police after his retirement scheduled for Sept 30, according to official sources and documents obtained by Dawn on Monday.

According to a notification (SO-III (S&GAD) Pol-6-2/2013) issued by the services, general, administration and coordination department, dated May 15, 2013, “on attaining the age of superannuation (60 years), the following provincial police officers shall retire from government service with effect from the date shown against each other: i) Javed Iqbal Bhatti, Superintendent of Police (BS-18) on 17-9-2013 ii) Mohammad Malik, DIGP (BS-20) on 30-9-2013.”

Another notification (No SO-III (S& GAD) Pol-7-60/2005) issued by the same department, dated March 13, 2013, stated “with the approval of competent authority i.e. Chief Minister Sindh, Mohammad Malik, DIG Police (BS-20) Sindh Provincial Police, is hereby appointed as DIGP (BS-20) in Sindh Provincial Police, on a contract basis, for a period of (02) two years, with effect from 01-10-2013. The terms and conditions of his contract appointment will be notified separately.”

Official sources privy to this development told Dawn that the curious case of early retirement with an award of a two-year contract as DIG police to the officer was granted at a time when the Supreme Court of Pakistan was about to give a verdict on the issue of out-of-turn promotions and absorption cases in the bureaucracy and police of Sindh, respectively.

In the wake of the judgement of the apex court, the Sindh government issued another notification withdrawing 24 officers, including FIA director Mohammad Malik, absorbed in the Sindh police and reverting him to grade 19. He was directed to report to his parent organization/ department.

According to the notification (SO-III (SGA&CD) Pol-7-43/2013), in pursuance of the SC judgement dated 12.6.2013 in criminal original petition (No 89/2011) and other cases and with the approval of the competent authority, “the absorption of the 24 officers/ officials in the police department are hereby withdrawn ab-initio and they stand relieved to report to their parent departments”. Mr Malik’s name tops the list.

Mr Malik had been absorbed in the Sindh police and promoted in BS-19 on Sept 11, 2006 as SSP, according to the notification issued on Feb 27, 2008. Subsequently, he was out-of-turn promoted to grade 20 and posted as FIA director on April 10, last year on a deputation basis for three years, according to an establishment division notification.

The sources said despite the issuance of the notification of the Sindh government, asking him to report to his parent organization, the officer still retained the same position as FIA director. They said he had not given his joining report to his department as he had been posted on a deputation basis in the FIA.

A senior officer in the FIA head office told Dawn on condition of anonymity that Mr Malik was reverted to the Sindh police but the Sindh government sent him back again to the FIA. The officer said that as the SC verdict would be enforceable since 1994, he was not sure what would be the parent organization of Mr Malik. He was absorbed in the FIA from the income tax department. Then he went to join police and reverted to the FIA. The officer said that the establishment division was supposed to decide about these matters.