By Shakeel Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet Friday gave the go-ahead to appointment of Mushtaq Mahar as new Sindh police chief.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting in a tweet said the appointment was made in light of the Sindh government’s demand after consultation with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail.
She hoped that the new IG will ensure law and order situation in Sindh and rein in crimes by rising above political affiliations.
“Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar, a BS-22 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, presently serving as Inspector General, Pakistan Railways Police (PRP), under Ministry of Railways, is transferred and posted as Provincial Police Officer (PPO), Government of Sindh, with immediate effect and until further orders,” a notification issued to this effect read.
Mahar, one of the five police officers recommended by the Sindh government for the post of IG Sindh, will replace incumbent police chief Kaleem Imam.
Earlier, on Feb 1, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had penned yet another letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to remove Inspector General of Police Kaleem Imam and pick one of the five names recommended by the provincial government for the coveted slot of the top cop. This was a third letter the province’s chief executive has written to the premier on the issue of appointment of a new IG.
The chief minister said the federal cabinet’s Jan 28 decision to put the issue on hold is a violation of a 1993 agreement. He insisted that one of the five names floated for the post be chosen to replace the incumbent IG. CM Murad said Kaleem Imam’s attitude is breeding hatred in the province as he has been mocking the provincial government with his non-serious and rude attitude.
Earlier, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail on Friday said that federal government would propose three names for the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh if a delay is made on the process from the provincial authorities. He said that the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah is responsible for conveying the names if an agreement is not made on the already proposed names. “The last time, I made contact with him, the Sindh government conveyed the name of Mushtaq Mehar for the post,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that on January 28, the federal cabinet postponed the appointment of new Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh and decided to hold consultation with the governor and chief minister. The Sindh government has openly opposed the incumbent IGP Sindh Dr Kaleem Imam and asked the Centre to replace him. The two sides agreed to change the IGP Sindh during a meeting between the chief minister and prime minister and replace him with another cop Mushtaq Mehar. The decision was, however, not taken over reservations raised from the coalition partners of PTI in the federal government.
Moreover, speaking over delay in inauguration of the six projects in the city from Prime Minister Imran Khan on February 28, Imran Ismail said that they had asked the premier to delay the inauguration as roads leading to the projects were still incomplete.
