LAHORE: Lahore police high command has constituted a high-powered inquiry committee to grill nearly two dozen former and serving station house officers (SHOs) for allegedly thrashing the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders and workers in the wake of the party’s May 25 Azadi March.

The committee was formed after the PTI’s top leadership mounted pressure, giving a message to the Punjab government and the police high-ups that they would have to face the wrath of the party (PTI) if the police officials involved in the action were not made ‘examples’ for others.

An official, privy to the information, said Lahore DIG Security Mehboob Rashid was appointed as head of the committee, which comprised some other officers, including the SSPs discipline and admin.

Initially, Lahore Investigations SSP Imran Khishwar was assigned the job of the head of the committee but he refused to take the responsibility due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The official said the committee shall conduct inquiries to define the role of the former SHOs and some DSPs who were identified by an anti-victimisation committee, constituted by the PTI top leadership in Punjab. Headed by PTI senior leader Shafqat Mahmood, the committee comprised of many other political leaders of the party, lawyers and workers.

Earlier, the Punjab government had removed the then Lahore Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana and the then Lahore DIG operations on the same allegations.

The official said that the formal formation of the high-powered committee of the senior police officers had left a disturbing message for those officials who were to undergo the inquiry in the wake of the Azadi March.

There are reports that the committee may recommend major punishment of dismissal from service, registration of criminal cases or both against the officials found guilty of charges.

The PTI’s committee has provided a complete record of criminal cases lodged against its party leaders, activists and workers before and during Azadi March in Lahore, the official said.

On the recommendations of the anti-victimisation committee, the Lahore police authorities have already closed over a dozen SHOs to the Police Lines.

On the other hand, during a recent meeting with a DIG police in this respect, some former SHOs took up the issue, saying they had followed the orders of the senior command and had done nothing in personal capacity.

He said a former SHO told the DIG and other officers present in the meeting that he was among those SHOs who received an order on an official Whatsapp number that Section 144 had been imposed in the provincial capital Lahore before the Azadi March. They were directed that Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) of 1973 authorises the law enforcers to issue an order to prohibit the assembly of four or more people in an area.

According to the law, the former SHO said, every member of such ‘unlawful assembly’ could be booked for engaging in rioting. The then SHOs and DSPs were strictly directed to ensure implementation, arrest the violators, he said and added that they had given complete compliance to the lawful orders of their bosses.

The other former SHOs present also endorsed the viewpoint of their colleague, saying that the unrest has prevailed in the junior ranks of police for holding only heads of the police stations accountable.

The official source said the senior leadership of the police also expressed serious concerns, saying the IGP and other decision-making leadership should take notice of the matter.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2022