PSP officers flay Nekokara dismissal

LAHORE
Following the dismissal of SSP Muhammad Ali Nekokara from service, 25 officers of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) held a meeting in Lahore and discussed strategy to express their strong concern over the issue.
The senior police officers belonged to different districts including Lahore. They condemned the dismissal of Nekokara from service for expressing difference of opinion over the use of force against the protesters of PAT and PTI.
They decided that in the first phase, they would write letters to the quarters concerned including Inspector General of Police to demand reversal of orders. If their demands were not met through letters then they will hold meetings with IGs, secretary establishment and government top brass. A police officer privy to the development said if the government did not pay heed to their humble requests then they will present enblock resignations. He added that the recent decision of government has belied the tall claims of Punjab Chief Minister and Prime Minister about depoliticising police department. They said on the one hand, the PM and CM laud the decision of officers on saying ‘No’ to the rulers but on the other they dismiss them from service when it comes to their own government. Other police officers said that if the government did not review its decision it will cause long-term impact on the morale and performance of police officers. The PSP Officers Association had also held a meeting couple of weeks back when the inquiry officer had recommended Nekokara’s dismissal from service to discuss the prevailing move of the government against senior, honest and competent police officers. The officers said Nekokara was convinced that if he used force then Model Town like tragedy or worse than that could happen. He conveyed his concern to the competent authority and thus wished to be posted out. Nekokara had opposed use of force and communicated his concern on the consequences of the potential use of force on the protesters to the Secretary Interior on 26 August 2014. Nekokara believed that use of force on a crowd of more than 30,000 including women and children by a loosely integrated force consisting of police units from Punjab Police, AJK Police and Railways Police in addition to Rangers and Levies with Islamabad Police entailed serious risk of misuse of authority and undue loss of human lives.
But as the government decided to use force on the protestors on August 30, 2014, his apprehensions proved correct as it led to loss of human lives and injuries to 500 people. Following the incident, two FIRs were registered in which Nekokara was also nominated.
The government had not only transferred him on August 31, 2014 but also stopped his salary since then. IG Balochistan, Muhammad Amlish, held inquiry into the incident and recommended dismissal of SSP Nekokara from service. The PSP officer got perturbed over the move and expressed their strong concern. However, the government was unmoved and finally issued notification of his dismissal from service.