KARACHI, May 28: In the aftermath of the May 12 incidents and apparent police failure to contain the bloody incidents, which claimed more than 40 lives, the provincial government on Monday made some top level changes in the police setup and transferred the DIG operations.

Besides, two town police officers of the areas that saw the worst mayhem on May 12 were also removed from their posts.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Home Affairs Waseem Akhtar, who told Dawn later that DIG Operations Mushtaq Shah was transferred and posted as DIG of the Crime Investigation Department (CID). Javed Ali Bukhari, serving as the DIG of CID, replaced Mr Shah.

The adviser said that the transfers and postings were part of routine administrative changes in the police department. He said Javed Akbar Riaz was posted as TPO of Malir and Maqsood Ahmed as TPO of Shah Faisal, replacing Altaf Leghari and Arif Hanif, respectively.

Sources in the police department, however, claimed that the transfers and postings were related to the May 12 bloodbath and the three police officers were made scapegoats following pressure from certain quarters.

They said the town investigation officers were responsible for maintaining law and order according to the security plan on May 12, but, strangely enough, the TPOs were removed from their posts.

They alleged that acting IG Niaz Siddiqui and city police chief Azhar Farooqui were responsible for the police failures, but they were still enjoying their positions.

They said pressure from different segments of society was mounting and the government had to make some changes in the top police hierarchy.