ATTOCK, March 10:  The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in Punjab has made District Police Officer (DPO) Dr Mohammad Akhtar Abbass officer on special duty (OSD) and appointed SP VVIP security, Rawalpindi Lt-Commander (retired) Halal Khan as acting DPO.

Mr Abbas relinquished his charge and reported to Central Police Office, Lahore. Sources close to the development told Dawn the DPO’s only crime was registration of a case against six PML-N activists of Pindigheb tehsil on charges of torturing an elderly fruit seller Haji Nawab in the main bazaar of Pindigheb for supporting their rival candidate in the February 25 by-election of PP-18, Attock-IV constituency.The sources said a group of prominent figures of PML-N from Fatehjang and Pindigheb tehsils had recently approached the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and sought removal of the DPO and withdrawal of the case.

In this by-election, Malik Mohammad Azam of PML-N was elected MPA. Initially, the police were reluctant to take any action against the accused on the complaint of the injured but they had to give in to massive protests by opposition political parties and groups.

Besides the DPO transfer, the SDPO Pindigheb Police circle DSP Tanveer Ahmed Malik was also transferred by the Punjab government to Mianwali district but he has not relinquished his charge.

When contacted, the former DPO Mr Abbass in his short and careful comments said that he considered his transfer a routine matter. However, he said he was satisfied with his performance during the tenure as DPO.

The Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab Haji Habibur Rehman talking to newsmen here on Saturday claimed that all posting and transfers in the Punjab police are being done purely on merit and without any political interference.

On a question about the transfer of former DPO Attock Dr Mohammad Akhtar Abbass due to registration of a case against the ruling PML-N workers at Pindigheb, the IGP refuted such impression and said that DPO’s transfer has been done totally on the administrative grounds instead of any political interference, and he has been now appointed as Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rawalpindi on his own choice.