CM Sindh refuses to transfer top police officials in letter to PM Imran Khan

KARACHI: Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, rejecting a federal government’s recommendation for the transfer of top police officials from the province, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday.

The letter addressed to Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the matter regarding the transfer of police officials came under discussion during the provincial cabinet meeting and it was decided to reject the transfer of four PAS officers and seven officers of BPS-20 from the province.

Murad Ali Shah highlighted that legal formalities were violated with regard to the transfer of the top cops as a key condition of consultation between the prime minister and the chief minister was neglected.

He said that the Sindh was already facing a lack of senior officials and there are only 22 police officials of the BPS-20 currently in the province.

“There is a need to increase the BPS-20 officials to 26 in the province,” the chief minister said while also demanding to appoint 20 more officials from Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS).

On November 10, senior police officers who have been serving in the Sindh police for years were transferred under the government’s new rotation policy.

According to a notification, key deputy inspector-generals (DIGs), deployed in Sindh for several years have been transferred to other provinces of the country.

Under the government’s rotation policy, these officers will not be able to get postings back in Sindh for the next two years.

According to the notification, DIG Maqsood Ahmed has been transferred to Punjab, while Naeem Ahmed Sheikh, who was serving as DIG Special Branch, was also transferred to Punjab.

Moreover, Saqib Ismail was also transferred to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while DIG Siddiqui, who was serving as DIG Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) transferred to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The services of Javed Sheikh have been handed over to Punjab, according to a notification.