AD Khawaja to remain Sindh IG will full powers

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday maintained the services of AD Khawaja as the Inspector General of Sindh Police and restrained the federal government from taking any steps for his removal.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, also admitted for hearing the appeal filed by the Sindh government against the order of the Sindh High Court.

The court upheld the decision of the Sindh High Court and directed that Allah Dino Khawaja would continue as the provincial police chief with the ruling that he will exercise his powers of postings and transfers of officers in the provincial police department.

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said the appointment of a new provincial police chief will be conditional with the ruling of the Supreme Court, while in the meantime action of both the federal and provincial governments for changing the provincial police chief will remain suspended.

Appearing on notice, Farooq H Naik, counsel for the Sindh government, submitted before the court that the Sindh High Court had declared the Sindh Police Act 2001 as constitutional, empowering AD Khawaja to make postings and transfers in the provincial police department.

The CJP observed that the learned Sindh High Court had delivered a beautiful verdict which was worth reading. The counsel for the provincial government contended that the learned Sindh High Court had even given relief which was not sought by the petitioner.

He further contended that the High Court has no jurisdiction to take suo moto notice. “But we have the jurisdiction of suo moto,” the Chief Justice of Pakistan replied to the counsel. Farooq H Naik requested the court to fix the date for hearing their appeal to which the Chief Justice asked the learned counsel to file an application for early hearing. Last year in September, the Sindh High Court had dismissed the provincial government’s order of removing Inspector General of Police AD Khawaja and had ruled that he will continue on his post for full tenure. Later, the Sindh government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the order.