ATTOCK, July 23: The local police on Sunday withdrew a case against the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leaders, while Central Police Office (CPO) Lahore transferred the SP Investigation Attock Syed Zahid Hussain Shirazi for registering the case under 16-MPO against 20 MMA leaders without the consent of the department high-ups, sources said.

As such, district police officer (DPO) also suspended the Attock city police station SHO, Inspector Raja Sabir Hussain, and district police security branch in charge Sub-Inspector Khalil, and also initiated a departmental inquiry against them, the sources said.

The DPO also issued a notice to the SP Investigation, expressing displeasure over the latter’s ‘unsatisfactory’ performance as acting DPO Attock during his absence. He also recommended to the IGP disciplinary action/transfer of DSP Legal Attock Chaudhry Yaqoob and DSP Saddar circle Chaudhry Abdul Ghaffar in this regard, the sources said.

It is being expected that the two officials would also be transferred in next few days after the recommendation of the DPO.

The action was taken against the police officials for registering a case against top MMA leaders, including the alliance president, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, and Maulana Fazalur Rehman, without obtaining permission from the government, the RPO Rawalpindi and the DPO Attock, as the move created embarrassment among the government circles as well as the police department, the sources said.

Meanwhile, taking strong exception to the situation, Prime Minister’s Secretariat and other high government functionaries have sought a report on the matter from district police Attock, the sources added.

When contacted, SP Investigating Syed Zahid Hussain Shirzi confirmed his transfer, but said it was not in connection with the registration of the case against MMA leaders.

DPO Attock Capt (retired) Zafar Iqbal Awan, when contacted, confirmed that the FIR No-205 against the MMA leaders had been withdrawn as it was registered due to sheer negligence of some police officers in his absence, including SP Investigation, DSP legal and DSP Attock. Asked for comments, MMA Attock district President Barkat Ali Khan expressed his satisfaction over the action taken by the DPO and other police high-ups to handle the situation.