HYDERABAD, April 14: While less influential in Sindh police like constables and head constables or ASIs have been stripped of their out of turn promotions but those having political clout are spared on the basis of what many police officers consider ‘questionable’ out of turn promotions.
According to official sources, so far 5,163 such out of turn promotions of constables, head constables, ASIs and sub-inspectors have been cancelled following the Supreme Court’s order of March 12. It was the apex court’s second order that held shoulder promotions illegal.
Case of Sindh police case is peculiar where political considerations, unmerited appointments and questionable inductions have reigned supreme at the cost of senior police officers who deserve promotions in next cadre. A police official said that the practice of out of turn and shoulder promotions have become common and apex court had rightly observed that an incident of ‘gallantry’ couldn’t be rewarded with out of turn promotion but with but not with one or two steps promotions over and above his seniors. “It simply defies logic”, he said.
Sources said the list of such promotions is getting lengthier now although ‘gallantry’ couldn’t become a ground for promotion. There is no provision of such promotions in Police Rules 1934, Police Act 1861 or Police Order that stood repealed. What is the purpose of Pakistan Police Medal or Quaid-e-Azam Medal, if gallantry is to be awarded with out of turn promotion; these medals are meant for those who show bravery. There are cases in which police officers are given promotions three or four times after rules are relaxed and often on ridiculous or frivolous grounds, said an official, who has studied relevant Police Rules.
Such promotions are given over the years. There are interesting cases in which police officers given out of turn promotion for ‘performing good duty during Muharramul Harram’ or “sending police force from headquarter to a scene of encounter” or “suffering bullet injury”. “If police officials are given promotions on such ridiculous grounds then what is the purpose of their service in police, this is what they are paid for,” said an official. He said “in that case many Army soldiers would have become lieutenant colonels or colonels every year for showing bravery on borders.”
Supreme Court is seized of the matter and it would take-up the case on April 17, in Islamabad. IG Police Sindh has formed a committee of police officials which would look into out of turn promotions cases. So far no meeting of this committee is held. IG Police is not available for comments though several messages are left in his office. The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior has intervened in the matter. Sindh Home Secretary Sohail Akbar Shah, DIG police establishment Sindh, Shahid Hayat and others appeared before the committee in Islamabad on Thursday.
Sindh police has some special attraction for officials of other departments or cadres as well. They get themselves inducted easily. In many cases officials from IB, FIA or other cadres have been absorbed. Not only this, they are able to get backdated seniority as well-thanks to their political connections. There are several other cases in which officers are inducted into cadres of Police Services of Pakistan (PSP) what establishment branch police official of district said “to maintain their seniority after getting BS-19”. After getting BS-19, they are encadred in the PSP. Policemen who were appointed as ASIs are now DSPs or SPs through such promotions. Many of their batch mates still await promotions.
Dawn is in possession of list of those police officers who were appointed as ASIs in 1975, 1976, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1995 or 1996 but were ‘rewarded’ out of turn promotions and are now serving in BS 18, BS-19 and BS-20 while their batch mates are either waiting promotions or promoted recently. The number of such police officials is 55 and their cases are being scrutinised by the committee.
“The committee will look into the fact whether their shoulder promotions are justified or not’, replied Sohail Akbar Shah, Sindh’s home secretary. He said that the committee would examine each case and added that the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior was also seized of the matter now. Some of the known police officials out of these 55 are Dost Ali Baloch, Muhammad Farooq Awan, Niaz Ahmed Khosa, Irshad Ali, Raza Seehar, Munir Ahmed Khuhro, Chaudhry Muhammad Aslam, Raja Umar Khattab, Muhammad Fayyaz Khan, Khurram Waris, Abdul Waqar Malhan, Noor-ul-Haq Rind, Muhammad Ali Baloch and others.
Another list of police officers shows that officials from organisations and departments like Pemra, NAB, Anti-Narcotics Force, Nadra or Education and Literacy Department were working on deputation in Sindh police. Six officers, according to a report, have even been absorbed in the Police Department.
“I fail to understand how can an officer be given out of turn promotion twice or thrice”, commented Waseem Akhtar, a member of NA’s Standing Committee on Interior. “Gallantry can be praised by way of some medal or cash award but not through promotions and that too quite rapidly”, he said. Supreme Court’s order should be implemented in letter and spirit. “Does gallantry mean that a policeman should be appointed as IGP, minister or president if he has received bullet injury during the course of duty,” he asked.
Standing Committee Chairman, Qadir Patel, who is from ruling PPP, couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts.