LAHORE: The Punjab chief executive surrendered on Monday the services of two senior police officers to the federal government.

Of the two officials, Kasur District Police Officer Rai Saeed Babar has been relieved from Punjab after surfacing of child abuse scam while Attock DPO Nadeem Hussain for lapse in security of slain home minister Shuja Khanzada who fell a victim to a suicide attack.

Reacting to the decision, especially of Mr Babar’s transfer, senior police command termed it “premature”.

Such a decision before the issuance of joint investigation team (JIT) report on the child abuse scam was tantamount to disgrace of a police officer, said a senior police officer seeking anonymity.

He said such steps would demoralise the police force as many senior officers were already least interested in getting field postings to avoid such ‘disrespect’ by the provincial chief executive.

Pointing out an anomaly in the Punjab government’s decision making, they said the senior police officer heading the JIT was himself working as Sheikhupura regional police officer (RPO) when the child abuse scam surfaced in Kasur for the first time.

DIG Malik Abu Bakar Khuda Baksh is heading the JIT which has been constituted to probe the scam.

Special Branch Additional IG Dr Arif Mushtaq, Kasur investigation SP and two DSPs have been removed for showing negligence with regard to scam.

The officer wondered as to why no action had been taken against the present Sheikhupura RPO.

He said the incident of shoe hurling at Punjab police inspector general during his Kasur visit was also one of the factors in such a harsh punishment to the ex-DPO.

About the Attock DPO, he said, Nadeem Hussain had not taken appropriate security measures despite serious threats to the late home minister.

Meanwhile, IG Mushtaq Sukhera also issued transfer and posting orders of eight other police officers on Monday.

According to the notification, AIG Discipline Inam Waheed has been transferred and posted as SSP Battalion Commander, Punjab Constabulary, Lahore, against a vacant position, Sargodha Additional SP Attaur Rahman has been transferred and posted as Faisalabad SSP CTD against a vacant position, Punjab Investigation Branch SSP Abdul Rab has been given additional charge of AIG Discipline CPO and Rawalpindi SSP PHP Atta Mohammad has been given additional charge of the Attock DPO.

The IG has also issued transfer orders of sub-divisional police officers (SDPOs) of various districts, besides suspending Nankana Sahib Traffic DSP Jahangir Haider from service over negligence.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015

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