ISLAMABAD: Police officials have been warned to avoid the practice of taking choice postings or using their connections for this purpose.

Officials found involved in the practice as well as those who accept any recommendation from influential people for choice transfer/posting of police officials would be facing disciplinary action.

A circular issued from the Central Police Office Islamabad stated: “It has been observed with great concern that the senior officers of ICT police manage their own choice posting by violating government instructions issued from time to time and government servants (conduct) rules 1964. Backdoor channels are also used for the choice posting without prior permission of the inspector general of police.”

It added that a serious notice of this insubordination had been taken and the officials were directed that the undesirable practice was contrary to the rules and, therefore, should be stopped forthwith.

“All the senior officers of ICT police are, therefore, directed to follow the instructions contained in the Government Servants (conduct) Rules 1964 in letter and spirit.” In case of violation, disciplinary action will be recommended to the competent authority against the delinquent officers under intimation to the Establishment Division.

It may be mentioned that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on a number of occasions stated in front of the media that he never influenced the transfer or posting of any police officer. Senior police officers also admitted that they never got instructions or were influenced by the minister regarding transfer or posting of any official.

On the other hand, police officers privately say giving choice posting to the blue-eyed boys still continued in the police. Though the minister never intervened in the matter, some senior police officers were involved in the practice either for themselves or entertained recommendations from influential people.

Earlier, Chief Commissioner Islamabad Zulfiqar Haider had sought an explanation from IGP Tariq Masood Yasin for posting two officers as the assistant inspector general of the police and the superintendent of police Saddar without his permission or bringing the matter into his knowledge, the officials stated.

In January, the capital police chief made an attempt to remove the then DIG operation Kashif Alam from the capital police when he was heading a joint investigation team constituted in the minor housemaid torture case. The police chief made an excuse that Mr Alam’s services were no longer required in the capital as he had been promoted from the post of SSP to DIG.

Interestingly, Mr Alam joined the capital police last year when he was serving as the SSP but was given the charge of DIG operation in violation of the rules, the officials stated. SSP Waqar Chohan was also promoted to the DIG rank but an excuse was made only in the case of Mr Alam, they added.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2017