LAHORE, July 16: In another reshuffle in Lahore police on Monday operations SSP was transferred only one-and-a-half months after his posting and new investigation SSP appointed.

According to a notification, police Inspector General Mohammad Habibur Rehman transferred AIG (Administration), Central Police Office, Sohail Akhter Sokhaira and posted him Lahore operations SSP vice Babar Bakht Qureshi who has been transferred and posted investigation SSP of Lahore against an existing vacancy.

Investigation SSP Tariq Nawaz Malik has been transferred and posted AIG (Development) Punjab against an existing vacancy while Punjab Elite Police Force SSP Lt Muhammad Kamal (retired) has been transferred and posted AIG (Administration).

The department’s record says the IGP has changed at least five operations SSPs during the last one-and-a-half-year or so.

The operations SSPs who had been transferred from Feb 2011 to July 2012 are Muhammad Faisal Rana, Shaukat Abbas, Sarfraz Ahmad Falki, Captain Sajjad Hassan Manj (retired) and Baber Bakht Qureshi.

A senior field police officer, requesting anonymity, told Dawn it appeared the operations SSP post, which was considered very important before and even after the implementation of Police Order 2002 as it dealt with active law and order management, coordination between lower police ranks and top hierarchy and crime fighting, has now become redundant.

He said repeated transfers of operations SSPs indicated that the post was no more required for field policing and officers were being posted there as a stop-gap arrangement, especially after the Punjab government started appointing DIGs (Operations) regularly from 2010. Prior to this the operations SSP slot was considered most important in the field.

He said after the DIG started making all administrative decisions, the SSP was left with limited assignments including transfers and postings at sub-inspector and below level and inquiries.

The officer said at a time when Lahore police was witnessing worsening of law and order situation, it was a matter of concern that the post of operations SSP had been rendered ineffective.

He was of the view that the post be made fully functional or it should be abolished as in its present capacity it was mere burden on the provincial exchequer.

A divisional SP, who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity, said all SPs of operations wing usually reported to the DIG (Operations), but the Lahore SSP could not even ensure his presence in the crime-related meetings. He said after abolition of the post of coordination SP, the DIG considered the operations SSP as coordinating officer and engaged him in petty matters.