THE removal is, prima facie, a classic example of political interference; the denials and explanations of the federal government are scarcely believable — and the whole matter is doubly egregious because it goes to the heart of the PTI’s governance promises.
On Tuesday, the PTI federal government tried to remove Punjab Inspector General of Police Mohammad Tahir.
It is not clear if the attempted ouster of Punjab’s top cop has succeeded because the Election Commission of Pakistan has blocked the transfer citing a notification barring provincial transfers and postings ahead of by-elections on Oct 14.
However, the Establishment Division of the federal government has objected to the ECP’s intervention, claiming that transfers are barred only in the districts where by-elections are to take place and that Mr Tahir can be transferred as per the government’s wishes.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s point man on police reforms in Punjab, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IGP Nasir Durrani, is reported to have resigned following the federal government’s decision to remove Mr Tahir as Punjab’s top cop.
The fiasco appears to be yet another self-inflicted wound for the PTI and is especially significant given the party’s public stance on the politicisation of the police and the need for deep-rooted reforms.
What is in question here is not the authority of the federal government to transfer a police chief, but the reasons for doing so.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s explanations have failed to dispel doubts created by media reports that the reason for Mr Tahir’s expulsion from Punjab is his unwillingness to transfer police officials as desired by the PTI in Punjab.
Indeed, with the current assemblies and governments less than two months old, it is difficult for legitimate professional reasons to have arisen that made Mr Tahir’s service in Punjab no longer tenable.
The PTI ought to consider rescinding its order to transfer the Punjab IGP or it must urgently provide a full and credible explanation for why it is necessary that Mr Tahir be removed from his post.
Prime Minister Khan has for years decried the politicisation of the police under the PPP and PML-N; the PTI has claimed one of its principal achievements in KP between 2013 and 2018 was the so-called depoliticisation of the provincial police force; and Mr Khan as prime minister has vowed to depoliticise the police in Punjab and purportedly demonstrated his resolve by installing Mr Durrani, the retired KP IGP, as police-reforms chief in Punjab.
The same Mr Durrani is now reported to have resigned in protest at Mr Tahir’s sudden attempted ouster from Punjab.
Certainly, the PML-N and PPP did not just fail to introduce police reforms over the past 10 years, at times they were seen as actively opposing them.
But Mr Khan and his PTI have vowed to be different. There is still time to do the right thing. Mr Tahir should be reinstated as Punjab IGP.
Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2018
Comments (26)
Political non interference in Police does not mean that Police has become an independent entity to make its own laws,rules and regulations. It is a part of government machinery and under the Chief executive of the Province. It has to follow and function within the framework of policies given by the government. The CM is responsible if anything goes wrong in the Police. Therefore the removal of IG Punjab is in order and it is not interference in their day to day working under the law.No black mailing should be accepted by the PTI Government in this regard. It should assert its legitimate authority otherwise there will be anarchy.
Please remember Pak has lots of talent, nobody is indispensable.
I think DAWN has a point here Mr. PM.
A chief minister is also the police commander in any province. Why should the PTI give up that power?
Thank you for reminding PTI of its promises to build institutions and keep the police away from political interference. I congratulate Mr.Nasir Durrani for taking the courageous step of resigning for his principled position.
This shows that PTI has nothing to do with KP Police reforms. KP Police was already performing comparatively better than Punjab Police years before PTI came to power in KP.
"Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry’s explanations have failed to dispel doubts created by media reports that the reason for Mr Tahir’s expulsion from Punjab is his unwillingness to transfer police officials as desired by the PTI in Punjab." Mr. Fawad was referring to the fiasco of Model Town incident in which the I.G was not corroborating with the government to sideline the alleged police officers. .
Every government has the right to choose their police chiefs as they want. People should feel lucky that they have a chance to say or question the PTI government, and it is being heard by the government. Unlike PMLN and PP tenures where nobody even had the guts to even raise their voice or question the government appointees
The Inspector General in debate should clarify his position regarding awarding the police officers allegedly involved in Model Town atrocity. . Current government has vowed to provide justice to the families of Model town incident since case is sub judice in courts too. . I.G should accomplish this task in obeying the orders of government rather than allegedly siding with the police officers pointed in Baqir Najafi Report. .
In my view, it will be a very difficult task to change police's mindsets that was deliberately created by Nawaz Sharif, Shabaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and their cronies, based on unmerited recruitments and 'you scratch my back, I will scratch yours' basis. Good luck Imran Khan!
Pakistan Police has greater integrity than its neighbours
PTI govt should fullfil its promise to depoliticize police.
There is full authority on Bureaucracy to transfer and post any officer in the field or office by just citing the reason on "Administrative Grounds" and this Nation is facing this. While transferring a PSP, everyone is shouting? Where is the rational on "Administrative Grounds?"
Kudos to Mr. Durrani. I think IK and PTI could do well by heeding to such signals and not sacrifice its principles on the alter of power. they need to halt this downward spiral before it gets out of hand.
And not a SINGLE word about the targeted harassment of women of this particular family by Punjab police which started this whole saga in the first place.
He never walks his talk.
@Muneer What you seem to have forgotten is that it was Imran Khan who repeatedly raised Sindh IG A.D. Khawaja transfer's attempt as a brazen act of interference in police working by the provincial government. He did not let any opportunity slip when he proudly quoted PTI's transformation of KP police. Where did all those claims go???
@Muneer So has Fawad Chaudhury explained what policy was not being complied with? Why did Nasser Durrani whom Imran has such a high opinion of - resign? Was he trying to blackmail Imran? What is your opinion of Khawar Maneka and DPO Pak Pattan case?
@Drago “Unlike PMLN and PP tenures where nobody even had the guts to even raise their voice or question the government appointees” Sorry. Imran did question transfer of Sindh IG in past and called it malafide.
@Hani_Layyah keybword is alleged. Yes IG said police should not be transferred only based on allegations. If investigation shows guilt, that is different. Transferring police for political Compulsion of keeping PAT leave her happy is exactly the opposite of police independence. Please think why Nasser Durrani quit? After all he was appointed by Imran himself for his integrity and competence.
@JA-Australia Not stopping at police check post the way Khawar Maneka did and being followed and stopped is harassment? Asking police to apologize to VIPs and transferring if they do not apologize is ok? Please see court remarks on this issue.
@Muneer So what 'went wrong' in Punjab necessitating the IG's removal? This comment typifies the sort of thing that has bedevilled political discussion in Pakistan. My party right or wrong is not political support; it is political slavery. So disappointing.
A clear case of ineptness of those at the helm of affairs not fully conversant with rules of business & court’s standing orders in this controversial transfer & playing in the hands of bureaucratic system which applies its magic wand of justifying everything whether right or wrong.It is sad that a champion of depoliticizing police on the basis of their much trumpeted experiment in KPK, has fallen prey to the same gimmicks of political expediency. Mr. Durrani’s resignation, an architect of this positive experiment, brought with lot of pomp and show, to affect the required job done in Punjab too, has made this tall claim to fizzle out with a whimper. These self inflicted wound is showing Achilles heel of PTI leadership which is loosing its governess credibility fast unless it take remedial steps in damage control. As rightly stated by the editorial it must take prudent step to reinstall Mr. Tahir as IG & pursue Mr. Durrani to take back his resignation in the best interest of the country.
@Perspective In my opinion the Pakpattan case primarily occurred due to high handed and vested interests of the Police led by the then DPO Rizwan. Such incidents are occurring daily in the Punjab but are not reported or get noticed.Maneka case got reported to malign the first family but nothing came out.Next, If Durrani has resigned from the Police Reform Commission because of transfer of IG Punjab in my opinion it is a form of black mailing.
@Syed Ahmed Yahya In AD Khawaja case the IG was removed by the Sindh Government and not by the competent authority ie the Federal Government.Had the then Sindh Government asked the competent authority ie the then Federal Government of PMLN to do so and had they obliged the entire episode could have been different.
@Mithidada Reportedly,the IG Punjab got transferred due to his inaction on the Federal Government policy of not giving any appointment to the police officers involved in model town massacre case of the previous PMLN government