HYDERABAD: The embattled Sindh Inspector General of Police AD Khowaja has said that he does not find any moral and ethical justification to continue as provincial police chief after the Sindh government has taken a decision to hand back his services to the federal government.

“As long as I enjoyed congenial relations with the Sindh government I managed to achieve certain targets with regard to police reforms. But since the government has taken a decision it will be difficult to complete what [I] had started,” said Mr Khowaja while talking to journalists at a function at a private school here on Friday night.

He said that he had submitted his statement to court requesting it to allow the government to bring in a fully-fledged IGP of its choice. It was in fact the government’s discretion, he said.

‘Posting IGP is government’s discretion’

He said that he had never had any differences with the government and would not have any in future either. “In fact, advocate general of Sindh had himself made a statement before the court that the government doesn’t have a relationship with him as IGP and the cabinet had also taken a decision. So, it becomes morally and ethically difficult to keep working,” he said.

Mr Khowaja said that no IGP could reform the institution without government’s assistance but he did manage to achieve 80 per cent target of reforms set for a year. The remaining 20pc, including capacity building of the department and some other administrative issues, could not be achieved for a variety of reasons, he said.

He denied reports suggesting that the federal government had offered him a position in the Federal Investigation Agency and that he was likely to be used against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party in Sindh.

“No, it’s not like that. No one has talked about my posting in FIA. As for plans to be used, no competent and honest officer can allow himself to be used against anyone,” he said.

He said that only history could judge whether he succeeded in bringing meaningful improvement in Sindh police or not. For the first time in the history of the institution (after independence), appointments were made in police on the basis of merit, policemen received training from army, quality of investigation was improved with technology-based capacity building and welfare-oriented programmes were carried out to boost morale of police, he said.

As a police officer, he said, he was never disappointed and he hoped the court would take a decision which would further improve Sindh police. The credit for better law and order went collectively to Sindh police, Pakistan Rangers, army and civil society, he said.

Mr Khowaja denied that any formal contact had been established with Punjab police with regard to Naureen Leghari case.

Earlier, he said in his speech at the annual function that students should focus on extracurricular activities in addition to formal education and advised girls to use social media responsibly.

He referred to the Naureen Leghari case in this respect, saying she was misguided and chose a wrong path which had jolted Sindh and her parents. “You [students] should never be discouraged if you face opposition. All those who work outstandingly are always opposed,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2017