Target killer's video: Police officers barred from holding press conferences

KARACHI: Against the backdrop of a suspected hitman’s controversial video statement in which he claimed to have met Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, police officers on Tuesday were restrained from holding press conferences, ARY News reported.

Sources relayed police officers can no longer hold a press conference, nor can they issue an official statement without approval.

They will have to seek prior approval of higher authorities before issuing even a statement.

The SSP AVLC was to hold a presser today but he was directed to issue a statement instead, the sources said.

Yesterday, the Sindh police asked the chief secretary to surrender the services of SSP East Ghulam Azfar Mahesar to the federal government on charges of serious misconduct.

The Additional Inspector General (AIG) Establishment wrote a letter to the Sindh chief secretary, seeking to surrender SSP Mahesar’s services to the centre due to “serious misconduct”.

“The services of Capt (r) Ghulam Azfar Mahesar, PSP (BS-19), presently posted as SSP/District East, Karachi Range are no more required for Sindh Province/Sindh Police due to serious misconduct,” read the letter.

He asked the chief secretary to surrender the services of the police officer to the Establishment Division, the Government of Pakistan “in the interest of Government work.”

The Sindh chief minister had earlier denied ever meeting with the accused arrested for his alleged involvement in murders of 96 people and ordered an inquiry into the matter.