Federal govt approves appointment of new Sindh IGP: sources

ISLAMABAD: The federal government approved the appointment of Sardar Abdul Majeed Dasti as Sindh's new Inspector General of Police (IGP), sources informed this correspondent on Wednesday. 

Approval to replace the incumbent 21-grade IGP Khawaja with Dasti, who is a 22-grade officer, was given in a federal cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said sources. 

The Sindh Government on January 2 had written a letter to the establishment division to replace Sindh IGP Khawaja.

Names of Sardar Abdul Majeed Dasti, Ghulam Qadir Thebo, and Kaleem Imam were suggested as the replacements of the incumbent IGP, according to a copy of the letter available with Geo News.

The letter gave a reference to the provincial cabinet's decision to replace Khawaja and requested the centre to appoint one of the three officials suggested by the Sindh government.

Earlier attempts by the provincial government to replace Khawaja were dismissed by both the federal government and the Sindh High Court.

Khawaja to continue on post, rules SHC

The Sindh High Court (SHC) in September last year had dismissed the provincial government's order removing Khawaja as the province's police chief and ordered that he continue on his post till his due term.

The two-judge SHC bench, headed by Justice Muneeb Akhtar, had reserved its decision in the case challenging Khawaja's removal on May 30.

Sindh IG AD Khawaja to continue on post, rules SHC

The court, on April 3, had dismissed the provincial government’s decision to remove the Sindh police chief after a group of activists approached the SHC challenging his controversial removal.

In its judgment on Thursday, the court had also declared all postings and transfers carried out in the province after July 7 as illegal.

The judges had observed that the complete command of the provincial police remains with the IG and that anyone found taking orders from elsewhere may be proceeded against by the police chief.

Moreover, in its verdict, the court had also directed the federal government to draft rules regarding the tenure and appointment of the IG.

Sindh Cabinet proposes IGP's replacement

Secretary Services Sindh on October 28, 2017, had recommended that Sardar Muhammad Dasti should replace Khawaja. The recommendation came during a session of the Sindh cabinet presided by Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah.

The Secretary Services in his briefing had said that Khawaja was brought as the IGP Sindh in 2016 under OPS (own pay scale) but the Supreme Court, later on, ended all OPS postings.

Sindh government continues efforts to remove AD Khawaja

He had said that the Sindh government should return the services of AD Khawaja to the centre, adding that Additional IG Abdul Majeed Dasti — who is a 22-grade officer — should be appointed as the police force's top boss.

'Officers should complete tenure,' Khawaja says

In a briefing, AD Khawaja had mentioned that his order was dealt by the centre as per the will of the Sindh government.

“At the time of my appointment, the SC order regarding the OPS was there,” Khawaja had said.

Khawaja had also recommended that a police officer should not be transferred before the end of tenure without substantial grounds.

He had maintained that the police chiefs for other provinces, except Punjab, are also Grade-21 officers and remarked that the Punjab IG was promoted to Grade 22 after being appointed as the province's top cop.

Khawaja had said that the posting of Additional IG, DIG and SSP is for two years and for the rest of the ranks it should be one year. He had said that the IG police should have the right to transfer police officers.

Following Khawaja’s briefing, Home Secretary Sindh said that the committee comprising Home Minister and the Advocate General was made by CM Sindh and IG Sindh named four police force categories, however, those were declined by the committee.

Sindh govt surrenders Khawaja's services to centre

In April this year, the Sindh government had ‘surrendered’ Khawaja’s services to the federal government as it appointed Additional IG Abdul Majeed Dasti as the force’s top boss.

However, the Sindh High Court (SHC) suspended the provincial government's notification for Khawaja's removal.

Khawaja decries measures to belittle authority in letter to CM Sindh

In a letter to CM Sindh earlier in July, Khawaja had stated that certain measures had become a hurdle in his administrative control.

The IG Sindh in his letter had said that the Home Department and Services, General Administration and Coordination Department had been granting leaves to employees without his knowledge. He had also said that the home minister Sindh had also unnecessarily summoned several employees.

AD Khawaja had stated that he had not taken into confidence on the transfer of DIG Finance, AIG Operation and other important officials, adding that some were not even allowed to complete their designated time.