ISLAMABAD: Finally a patch-up has emerged between the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)-led government at centre and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh as the former has accepted the latter’s demand and decided to appoint Mushtaq Mahar as new police chief in the province.

Former inspector general (IG) of Sindh police Syed Kaleem Imam, who had been striving to retain his position and had locked horns with the Sindh government, has finally been transferred and appointed as IG of National Highways and Motorway Police.

A source told Dawn that there was no federal cabinet meeting on Friday but the decision to appoint Mr Mahar as IG of Sindh had been approved by the federal cabinet through circulation.

The removal of Mr Imam was a long-standing demand of the PPP as he was reportedly not on good terms with the Sindh government. When the provincial government had made a move to replace him two months ago, Mr Imam had called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and the meeting gave an impression that he was being backed by the centre.

Row over removal of Kaleem Imam, as demanded by Sindh govt, comes to an end

A source close to the prime minister said although PTI ally Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Sindh chapter of the PTI were opposed to removal of Mr Imam, the prime minister had accepted the Sindh government’s demand to appoint Mr Mahar, a senior official of Pakistan Police Service, as new IG of Sindh.

The source quoted the prime minister as saying “the centre has to take care of all provinces to ensure an atmosphere of better coordination”.

Interestingly, Prime Minister Khan on Jan 26 had met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and it was reported that he [PM] had agreed to appoint Mr Mahar as new IG of Sindh. However, after two days the prime minister in a federal cabinet meeting changed his mind and decided to retain Mr Imam as Sindh police chief apparently to appease disgruntled PTI allies in Sindh.

“On reservations of members of GDA and PTI leaders from Karachi, the prime minister rejected the proposed appointment of Mushtaq Mahar as new IG of Sindh and tasked Governor Imran Ismail to sit with the CM and resolve the issue,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said in a post-cabinet meeting press conference on Jan 28.

Meanwhile, a statement Mr Imam had made during a ceremony of the Sindh Police Martyrs Memorial at Central Police Office in Karachi had added fuel to fire in which he had said that he would not be transferred “so easily” and that a “conspiracy” was being hatched against him.

“The impression is being created is that I have been transferred and this ceremony has been transformed into a transfer ceremony but I would like to say that I will not be transferred that easily,” Mr Imam had said.

He had said when he did go, it would not be a transfer but “it will be a new evolution. I will transcend on to new stages”, he had added.

Dr Awan had said in the press conference that some leaders of the GDA and PTI Karachi were of the view that Mr Mahar had political affiliations and that an apolitical person should be appointed as IG of Sindh.

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2020