ISLAMABAD: The station house officer (SHO) and the subdivisional police officer (SDPO) Shalimar were removed from their posts after cash and valuables worth millions of rupees were looted from the house of a senator, police said.

On Saturday, a gang of robbers entered the house PML-N Senator Nuzhat Sadiq at F-10/1 and took away cash and valuables worth Rs4.7 million.

After the incident, Inspector General of Police Qazi Jamilur Rehman and Deputy Inspector General of Police Afzal Ahmed Kausar visited the Shalimar police station, cheeked the record and suspended the SHO, said the police.

The IGP also removed the SDPO and directed him to report to the Central Police Office.

Senior police officials said a zonal in-charge was also served with a displeasure letter over different issues, including holding an open kutchery on a premise owned by a land grabber.

The officials said the practice of appointing junior officers on senior posts was one of the reasons behind the increase in crime.

Sub-inspectors are appointed as SHOs despite the availability of 53 inspectors in the capital. Likewise, grade-18 officers (SPs) are also appointed on the post of grade-19 (SSPs), they added.

When contacted for comments, IGP Qazi Jamilur Rehman said Additional Superintendent of Police Farhat Abbas Kazmi would respond on his behalf.

Mr Kazmi said there were some issues, including a robbery at the house of the senator, which resulted in the removal of the SHO Shalimar and the SDPO of the circle.

It is also a prerogative of the IGP to appoint officers on any posts, he said, adding there was a policy to appoint competent and capable officers as SHOs and SSPs.

Junior ranking officers work hard on senior posts and show good performance compared to officers of senior ranks, Mr Kazmi said.

About the zonal in-charge, he said displeasure was already issued to him. Recently, five open kutcheries were conducted by him, including one at a house of a man, he added.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2021