make it part of record, IG Balochistan did not comment. However, he said that frank discussion takes place in meetings and their minutes are also maintained. He said it was unbecoming of an officer to be a “fair weather functionary and start disagreeing in time of crisis”. He didn’t answer when asked if Nekokara had refused to obey command, disagreement notwithstanding. Amlish rather went on explaining that there was no order to use the force. Asked whether he inquired from Nekokara that who had ordered him to use the force as his letter on August 31 said he had received directives from his superiors, Amlish said he ‘examined in detail’ but didn’t answer what the accused officer had responded.
Foreign secretary’s recommendations regarding dismissal from service is now at the table of the secretary establishment, a DMG officer, Nadeem Hassan Asif. “The proceedings are complete for final orders of the competent authority,” the secretary establishment said responding to a question of The News inquiring if Nekokara is being dismissed. Asked who is competent to notify his dismissal, the secretary establishment responded: “secretary establishment.”
As tension had escalated in late August last year following the advances of PTI and PAT towards PM House, Nekokara emphasised on cooling down tension through negotiations, saying the use of force will “lead to killings and a tragedy similar to or worse than Model Town and backfire and be more disadvantageous for our democratic system.”
He had sent his professional opinion in writing to the secretary interior on August 26 on the latter’s directive to express in written format. He was assured next day that no use of force will be carried out. However, a late night decision on August 29 was made to use the force that resulted in the loss of several lives and left injured 500 people.
Then he wrote another letter on August 31, 2014 reminding those concerned that his apprehensions about violence turned out to be true, saying further use of force will only exacerbate the situation. He requested to be posted out if the use of force were to continue.
The Interior Ministry surrendered his services to the Establishment Division, and he has been denied any salary since then. Nekokara is being victimised for recommending against the use of force but no violent strategy had been followed after his removal thus vindicating his opinion.
Charges against him include opposing the use of force that was his lawful right to give opinion through official channel as a public servant and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court in Anita Turab case. “One of their (civil servants) prime duties is to give advice in the best public interest and to administer the law impartially being incharge of the machinery of the State. In this regard, the address made by Quaid-i-Azam Mohamamd Ali Jinnah to the members of civil services at Peshawar on 14th April, 1948 is the most relevant,” reads the apex court’s judgment in Anita Turab case.
Ironically, Nekokara is facing dismissal from service for following the advice of Muhammad Ali Jinnah who had instructed public servants not be “influenced by any political pressure, by any political party or individual politician.”
While he followed Jinnah’s teaching, Nekokara is also facing what the father of the nation had forewarned: “You may even be put to trouble not because you are doing anything wrong but because you are doing right. Sacrifices have to be made, and I appeal to you, if need (be), to come forward and make the sacrifices.”