Is Aftab Cheema, the inspector general of Islamabad police, on leave? Or was he sacked.

The confusion began after a government spokesman said Cheema was on leave as opposed to a sack as had earlier been reported.

The refutation came hours after an earlier confirmation from the interior ministry regarding Cheema’s sacking.

The ministry had confirmed that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had removed Cheema from his position and Khalid Khattak has been appointed the acting inspector general.

The reason for Cheema’s alleged sacking was not clear with speculations doing the rounds.

Earlier today, Cheema had held a meeting with the interior secretary and had requested the government to allow him to proceed on leave. “The request was accepted and acceded,” the government spokesman said.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri alleged that the order to remove Cheema was issued after “he demanded a written order for taking action against the protesters…this is his only crime. What else could have caused his removal today?”

Similarly, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also added to the speculation by claiming that Cheema had been removed by the government "because his conscience had awakened and he had refused to begin a crackdown against protestors in the federal capital city".