121 Punjab police officers likely to be demoted: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued notice for demotion of 121 officers of the Punjab police.

The order was issued at the hearing held on Tuesday over out-of-turn promotions. 

At the hearing, Justice Ameer Hani Muslim said those who have climbed forward must go back. He suggested the affected officers take retirement because if the court made a decision the situation would get difficult for them. 

The issue was taken up over the report of Punjab IG Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera that mentioned the names of officers, including those from the rank of inspector up till the deputy inspector general. 

The advocate general of Punjab defended the promotions. But Justice Qazi Faez Isa expressed anger, saying to the advocate general that he and the provincial law minister should be issued contempt of court notices for speaking against the court's notices. 

Earlier this year, the supreme court had dismissed the request of nine officers against the promotion of whom petitions were filed. However, the officers concerned had received a letter from the home ministry to the court. The letter stated the officers were legally promoted.

But the names of these nine officers were also mentioned in the IG's report that was discussed at Tuesday's hearing.