Ahead of pivotal election, Punjab chief secretary, IGP request transfer to Centre

Ahead of the closely watched election for Punjab chief minister, where PTI is favoured to win, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal and Inspector-General Punjab Rao Sardar have sought the transfer of their services to the Centre, sources from the Chief Minister Office told Geo News on Friday.

Top-ranking government officials sent their transfer requests to the incumbent government a few days back, the sources told Geo News.

In response to the request by the officials, the Punjab government has recommended the names of Amir Zulfiqar, Fayyaz Dev, Inam Ghani and Mohsin Hasan Butt for the police chief.

Their requests came after PTI Chairman Imran Khan, following the party’s win in the recently-held Punjab by-election, warned that he remembers the name of "every police and government official involved" in activities against his party.

Speaking in a televised address, the PTI chairman noted that the apex court — in its July 1 order — had ordered the government to not use its machinery for “interference”, but the PML-N “violated” the order.

“They interfered in every way; they registered FIRs, used police to harass our people, but at the same time, I salute the police officials who did not pay heed to the government’s pressure,” he said.

'We will not forget May 25'

The PTI after securing a majority in the Punjab Assembly formed an Anti-Victimisation and Accountability Committee comprising senior leaders to identify police and administrative officers who the party claimed committed “criminal” offences against its leaders and workers, to initiate legal proceedings against them after coming to power in Punjab.

The five-member committee, headed by former federal minister Shafqat Mehmood, will identify officers responsible for allegedly torturing PTI workers during the Azadi March and lodging cases against them.

Asad Umar announced the formation of the committee and said that the body will also investigate “fake” cases registered against party leaders in Punjab.

He said that the PTI had not forgotten the incidents of May 25. “We have not forgotten, and will not let anyone else forget,” he added.

He said those responsible for the “torture and harassment” of PTI workers and leaders would be dealt with as per the law, adding they had filed a contempt petition with the Supreme Court against Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and the Punjab government.