LAHORE, Jan 3: Punjab Police Inspector General Shaukat Javed on Saturday transferred and posted five police officers.

According to a notification issued here, SP Babar Bakht Qureshi, who was awaiting posting, has been posted Mujahid Squad SP in Lahore vice Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, who has been transferred and posted Community Policing SP in Lahore against an existing vacancy.

Kamoke SDPO Ghulam Azfar Mahesar has been transferred and posted additional SP (operations) in Cantonment against an existing vacancy. Chiniot SDPO Muhammad Ayyaz Saleem has been transferred and posted SP (investigation) in Sargodha vice Karim Nawaz, who has been transferred and posted SP (investigation) in Jhang against an existing vacancy.

The abrupt posting of Mr Qureshi as Mujahid Squad SP vice Mr Rizvi has raised questions about the transfer and posting criteria of the police authorities. Now a debate has started among PSP officers serving in Lahore as to how transfers and postings are being managed by some police officers who are reluctant to work outside the Punjab capital.

Earlier, the IG had transferred Mr Qureshi from Mujahid Squad and posted him SP (operations) in Cantonment. Mr Rizvi was made Mujahid Squad SP on his promotion through a notification on Dec 26.

Within a couple of days, the posting of Mr Qureshi was cancelled and he was made OSD for one reason or the other.

Mr Rizvi, who was discharging his duties as Mujahid Squad SP, has been posted against a vacancy which was created two weeks ago.

Mr Rizvi is the first officer from the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) who belongs to Punjab and has not served in other provinces.

According to a law of the federal government, a police officer is bound to serve in provinces other than his home province for the first five years of his service. Mr Rizvi is serving in Lahore since June 1, 2006. Though Mr Qureshi served in Balochsitan when he was under training, but on completion of his training in 2002 he was transferred and posted in Lahore.

Mr Qureshi, on his promotion as additional SP, was transferred and posted in Sahiwal, but he was again transferred and posted in Lahore. Capital City Police Officer Pervez Rathore said transfers and postings were made by the IG in consultation with the chief minister. The IG was not available for a comment. — Staff Reporter