Sindh govt did not give reasons for removal of IG, SHC told

KARACHI: The Sindh government has not given any reason for surrendering the services of IG Sindh AD Khowaja to the federal government, the additional attorney general told the Sindh High Court on Thursday.

The court was hearing the petition of Karamat Ali and other rights activists and non-government organizations against the repeal of the Police Order, 2002 and the illegal action of the Sindh government with regard to the transfer of IG Sindh A.D Khowaja.

Concluding arguments on the petition, additional attorney general Salman Talibuddin submitted that the federal government had the authority to appoint an IG in the province and referred to the minutes of the prime minister’s meeting with governors and chief ministers of the province in 1993 with regard to posting of chief secretaries and IGs of the province.

He submitted that it was decided in the meeting that chief secretary and IG in a province shall be posted by the federal government in consultation with the provincial government concerned and due consideration will be given to the recommendations of the provincial government.

He submitted that the provincial government did not convey the reasons to surrender the services of AG Khowaja. He also filed comments on the behalf of Ministry of Interior, which submitted that the ministry had no role in the matter while the Ministry of Law and Justice submitted that the provincial assembly was empowered to pass the Act and the legislature was competent to enact the statute in accordance with the law.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, after hearing the arguments of the additional attorney general Sindh, adjourned the hearing and in the meantime extended the interim stay order against the transfer of IG Sindh AD Khowaja till May 30.