LAHORE: Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani has shuffled five superintendents of police (SPs), including three divisional SPs of Lahore in the wake of the inquiry into murder of the PTI MPA’s brother in a marriage ceremony attended by Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Of the three officers, transfer of Lahore Cantt Operations SP Sayed Aziz and SP Security Sardar Mavarhan Khan dragged the attention of many in the police circles. The transfer of these two officers was already under consideration reportedly after the firing incident in which the brother of PTI MPA Malik Asad Khokhar was shot dead in the first week of August. The armed man had killed Malik Mubashar Khokhar in the presence of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar when he was attending the wedding ceremony of Malik Asad Khokhar’s son.

Declaring it a security lapse, the annoyed CM had reportedly ordered the Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) to hold an inquiry into the incident to fix responsibility on the police officers to take action against them for not ensuring elaborate security arrangements.

An official, privy to the development, said the CMIT had completed its inquiry and sent recommendations to the CM, pointing out the role of the abovementioned two SPs of Lahore regarding the incident. He said the CMIT indicated in the report that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding the CM’s security were not followed in letter and spirit, which led to the ‘security lapse’ when he was attending the private high-profile event. He said the CMIT had also discussed that the Cantt SP Operations was not present there when the incident occurred.

On the other hand, the source added, there was a debate in the police circles that the CM’s security team had declared his visit to the DHA event ‘private’ almost an hour before its schedule, implying that the abovementioned two police officers were innocent. He said the CM’s security staff had cordoned off the vicinity, barred the police, including the DSP and the SHO of the police station concerned, from making entry into the marquee where the CM was present. Later, the DSP and the SHO were allowed to enter the event while other policemen were directed to stay outside the premises.

The official added that the IGP, in a recent video link conference, had said he had convinced the higher authorities not to take action against the senior command of the Lahore Police over the DHA firing incident. However, it has now principally been decided to transfer the Lahore Cantt Operations SP and the SP Security. The transfer process of these two officers was delayed because of security arrangements for Muharram, the official said.

As per the notification issued on Monday, Sayed Aziz was transferred and posted as SP Security Lahore vice Sardar Mavarhan Khan who has been put at the disposal of the additional inspector general of police south Punjab for his posting in that region.

Lahore Saddar Investigation SP Essa Khan has been transferred and posted as new SP Cantt Operations Lahore while Multan Cantt Division SP Hamza Ammanullah replaced Mr Essa in the Saddar division.

Multan Gulgasht Division SP Dr Mohammad Raza Tanvir has been transferred and posted as Jaranwala Division SP.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2021