ATTOCK, April 19: Station house officers recently transferred to Attock from other parts of the province have started using their influence to go back to their old posting areas.

One of them, the SHO of Rangu has even got himself transferred back to Rawalpindi after being sent to Attock only a few days back.

As a result, the others newly-appointed SHOs have also started using their contacts to go back to their old posting stations, sources in the police said. "If the SHOs go back, it could be a setback to the election commission’s policy of reshuffling police officials before the elections," said the sources.

It may be noted that under the directives of the ECP, all the six SDPOs and 14 SHOs of Attock were transferred out of the district and in their places officials from other districts were posted here on April 10.

Inspector Malik Akhtar, the SHO of Kalar Syedan in Rawalpindi, was among the officials transferred to Attock. He was posted as the SHO Rangu. But Mr Akhtar, who is stated to be a close relative of a senior PML-N leader in Chakwal, was transferred back to Rawalpindi by the regional police officer on Thursday. However, the district police have so far not relieved Mr Akhtar. The district police were of the view that the re-transfer of Mr Akhtar would set a precedent for the other SHOs.

When contacted, district police officer Abdul Kadir Qamar confirmed the re-posting of Inspector Akhtar to Rawalpindi on the order of the RPO and said only the RPO can comment on it.  However, the DPO said according to his information the SHO was re-transferred on medical ground.

Despite repeated attempts, RPO Nasimuz Zaman could not be contacted for comments.