LAHORE: Following the newly-enforced rotation policy by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf dispensation, the federal government has placed the services of first two police officers from Punjab at the disposal of Balochistan for a mandatory period of two years.

Another police officer (BS-18) Rizwan Omer Gondal has been transferred to Balochistan with directions to take up his new assignment in the province.

The BS-19 police officials placed at the disposal of Balochistan from Punjab included retired Capt Jawad Qamar and Mohammad Shahzad Asif Khan.

Those posted for over 10 years in Punjab have ‘sleepless nights’

Balochistan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Tahir Rai has also sent requisition of the above-mentioned three officers for their posting in the province.

Mr Qamar and Asif Khan are the first two police officers from Punjab who have been transferred following the new rotation policy implemented by the PTI government with effect from January this year.

The main feature of the initiative is that the notification has [for the first time] mentioned the rotation policy as the sole reason for the transfer of the two officers and the mandatory period.

“The notification is being issued under Rotation Policy 2020 and the officer shall not be posted out of Balochistan for a period of two years from the date of joining.”

The development has been taken as a ‘serious threat’ looming over the police officers who have served more than 10 consecutive years in Punjab.

An official privy to the information says Sindh and Punjab have a majority of the police officers who have completed their respective tenure of service (10 years or above) and they are yet to be rotated under the policy.

He says in Punjab alone over 40 police officers in the rank of deputy inspector general (BS-20), senior superintendents of police (BS-19) and superintendents of police (BS-18) are yet to be rotated under the new policy.

The first police officer, who had been transferred in January under the new rotation policy, hailed from Sindh.

Of the two officers from Punjab, he says, Dr Asif Shahzad Khan is a CSS-2003 topper and has served as district police officer in four districts - Rajanpur, Toba Tek Singh, Kasur and Sialkot.

Currently, he is serving as assistant inspector general (AIG) finance Punjab in Central Police Office for the last two years or so and Jawad Qamar as DIG Counter Terrorism Department.

About other officer, he says Mr Gondal (CSS-2007 topper) is known for his integrity and distinctive academic achievement.

He has been awarded a gold medal by Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, the official says adding that Rizwan Gondal has served as divisional SP in Lahore and DPO Khanewal.

His last field task was DPO Pakpattan and he has been awaiting posting for the last 16 consecutive months or so in establishment division, Islamabad, the official says.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2021