GILGIT, Aug 18: The inspector-general of police, Northern Areas, Maj (retd) Sikander Muhammadzai, has sacked 15 police constables in the Ghizer district on the ground that they were appointed in violation of prescribed rules and procedures, police sources have told Dawn.

The sacked policemen are Syed Ismail, Mosa Baig, Amir Ali, Afsar Ali Shah, Mayun Shah, Aftab Rehman, Muhammad Wali Shah, Sifat Bahadur, Jammaluddin, Muhammad Akber, Hurmat Shah, Sultan Khan, Sherdil Khan, Sharif Khan and Niyat Khan.

They told newsmen on Sunday that they had been appointed by the then senior superintendent of police of the Ghizer district, Amir Hamza, against the vacant posts some six months ago.

But, they said, after the death of Mr Hamza in July, the IGP had terminated their services under the pretext that formal procedures had not been observed in their appointments.

However, six of the sacked policemen said they had been inducted into the department after the retirement of their fathers as per a general rule practised in the department.

They asked the police chief as to why they had been allowed to serve the department for six months if the prescribed rules and regulations had been violated in their appointments.