LAHORE: The Punjab government has surrendered the services of former Kasur district police officer (DPO) Abdul Ghaffar Qaisrani and superintendent of police (SP) Shahbaz Elahi to the Establishment Division, Islamabad.

Action was taken against them after they were held guilty of gross negligence by Sheikhupura Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sohail Habib Tajik in his report sent to Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) retired Capt Arif Nawaz Khan in the rape-cum-murder incidents of three children in Kasur.

A notification was issued by the Punjab Services and General Administration Department after the IGP forwarded the report to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

However, RPO Tajik seemed to have escaped punishment, as there were reports that Prime Minister Imran Khan desired action against him over lack of supervisory role in the rape and murder cases of the children. The PM had tweeted: “There will be accountability for all. Those who don’t perform in the interest of the common man will be taken to task.”

An official told Dawn that the senior police hierarchy had geared up efforts to rescue the RPO when they got an impression from the PM’s tweet that he wanted action against the entire police leadership.

In his report to the IGP, the RPO held the DPO and SP negligent after the victim children’s parents submitted statements that the two officers had turned a deaf ear to their concerns and left them at the mercy of the station house officer and deputy superintendent of police concerned, who had asked them to search for their kids in shrines and railways stations.

IGP Arif forwarded the report to the Punjab government, which issued directions to surrender their services to the Establishment Division.

Meanwhile, a detailed inquiry has been initiated by the RPO to submit a charge sheet against SP Elahi to further fix responsibility on him in the rape and murder cases, the official said.

He further said that senior police officers were unhappy over the decision of placing services of Mr Qaisrani at the disposal of the Centre, adding that the PM had just ordered to remove the DPO from his position. In the case of Elahi, the official said, a majority of senior police officers endorsed his punishment.

Published in Dawn, September 22nd, 2019