ISLAMABAD: A massive shuffling was made in the police to counter land grabbing and drug peddling in the capital on Friday.

Majority of the officers and officials working with the operation wing were posted out and replaced with new faces following complaints regarding their alleged involvement in the illegal practices, said police officers.

The capital police have four zones of City, Saddar, Rural and Industrial Area, 11 circles of Secretariat, Aabpara, Bhara Kahu, Margalla, Saddar, Shalimar, Industrial Area, Shams Colony, Shahzad Town, Sihala and Nilor, and 22 police stations.

Three zonal and six circle heads were either shuffled or posted out while heads of 16 police stations were replaced with new faces.

Three zonal and six circle heads either shuffled or posted out while 16 SHOs replaced with new officials

Due to the unavailability of officers who can meet the requirements, juniors were given senior posts.

Assistant superintendents (ASPs) were given the offices of SPs while inspectors were handed over the charges of ASP/DSP rank officers.

Similarly, a large number of sub-inspectors were appointed as the station house officers (SHOs).

The step was taken on the directives of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Aamir Zulfiqar Khan after he received complaints regarding alleged involvement of some police officers and officials in illegal practices, including land grabbing and drug peddling.

When contacted, the IGP told Dawn that the transferred officers had remained on the posts by using their political connections.

He said from now onward all transfers/postings would be made on merit.

The IGP said the newly-posted officers/officials enjoyed good reputation. Departmental inquiries have been initiated against those against whom complaints were received or having bad reputation, he added.

Retired Capt Mohammad Aamir Khan Niaz was transferred from the post of the SP city to the headquarters and given the additional charge of security operation.

SP rural Liaquat Hayat Niazi and SP Saddar Mohammad Omer Khan were replaced with each other. Syed Aziz was appointed as the SP city.

SP Sumera Azam was transferred from the headquarters to the traffic police while SP investigation Ghulfam Nasir was asked to report to the central police office (CPO).

SP Dr Sardar Ghias Gul was posted as assistant inspector general of police (operation) and also given the additional charge of investigation.

Arshad Mehmood was appointed as the SDPO Saddar after being transferred from the traffic police, DSP Sardar Ghulam Mustafa was posted out of Nilor and sent to CIA, Ashraf Shah, SDPO Shahzad Town, was asked to report to the CPO, Safeer Hussain Bhatti, SDPO Aabpara, was transferred to the traffic wing and Ghulam Mohammad Baqir, SDPO Secretariat, was transferred to Rescue-15.

SDPO Bhara Kahu Iqbal Hussain was made SDPO Nilor while Munawer Ali Mahar was appointed SDPO Bhara Kahu after being transferred from the traffic police and DSP CID Abid Hussain was appointed as SDPO Shahzad Town.

Inspector Ulfat Arif of Rescue 15 was appointed as SDPO Secretariat, Inspector Imtiaz Ali Shah of Safe City Project was made SDPO Aabpara.

DSP Headquarters Hakim Khan was appointed as the DSP CIA while DSP Mohammad Hussain Lasi was sent to the Foreign Mission.

Inspector Haq Naqaz Ranjha was removed from the post of SHO Nilor and appointed DSP traffic. SI Ghulam Mustafa was made as SHO Banigala, SI Yar Mohammad SHO Bhara Kahu, Inspector Ghulam Mustafa SHO Industrial Area, SI Saleemullah SHO Khanna, SI Saifullah SHO Koral, SI Noorul Islam SHO Loi Bher, Inspector Abdul Jabbar SHO Margalla, Inspector Mukhtar Ahmad SHO Nilor, Inspector Asjid Mehmood SHO Secretariat, SI Tariq Rauf SHO Sabzi Mandi, SI Mohammad Abbas SHO Shehzad Town, SI Arshad Mehmood SHO Shalimar, Inspector Gulzar Ahmad SHO Shams Colony, Inspector Mohammad Bashir SHO Sihala and Inspector Abdul Qadir SHO Tarnol.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2018