Terror incident: CM seeks transfer of CS, IGP & Peshawar commissioner for negligence

PESHAWAR: In swift reaction to the security and subsequent administrative laps that led to the Tuesday night terror attack on Awami National Party (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour, caretaker Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Dost Muhammad Khan on Wednesday sought immediate replacement of high ranking officers including chief secretary and inspector general of police (IGP), commissioner Peshawar and Secretary Home Department.

The chief minister in a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Establishment Division sought the transfer of Chief Secretary Kamran Naveed Baloch and IGP Dr Muhammad Tahir.

The chief minister has recommended the name of senior bureaucrat Ahmed Hanif Orakzai to replace Baloch, while he suggested that senior police cadre officer Dr Muhammad Naeem Khan should be posted as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IGP.

The chief minister’s letter to the ECP said in view of the tragic incident of the yesterday suicide attack on the corner meeting of the ANP, the chief minister on getting the alert SMS tried to contact chief secretary, but the operator informed that Kamran Naveed Baloch was away from his office.

He was told that the officer should contact the chief minister at the earliest. It further said that an emergency meeting was immediately held that continued through 9:00 am on Wednesday where all important matters and tasks were assigned to the chief secretary.

The incumbent chief secretary did not submit a single day report then. He does not maintain any arrangements for important matters, including security. The letter said that in view of the prior consultations with the competent authorities (ECP and PMO) at the federal level the officer should directed to report to the Establishment Division.

The chief minister through his letter requested the Establishment Division to immediately place the services of Ahmad Hanif Orakzai at the disposal of the provincial government so that he could be posted as chief secretary.

It said that delay of even a single hour in the matter may lead to serious consequences. It further said that Shahab Ali Shah (PAS-BS-20), commissioner of Peshawar division, had been directed to report the Establishment Division as he was an unwilling worker who failed to report any untoward situation.

Muhammad Akbar Khan (PCS-EG-BS-20), principal secretary to Chief Minister may be given additional charge of the office of the commissioner of Peshawar.

Ikramullah that (PAS-BS-19), secretary Home, is also not a willing worker and his administration made no organisational coordination between the government agencies, it said and recommended his transfer and posting as secretary Environment Department.

Zakir Hussain Afridi (PCS-EG-B5-20), secretary Environment Department, was transferred and posted as secretary Home in place of Ikramullah Khan.

The letter further said that Muhammad Tahir (PSP-BS-21), incumbent IGP, was equally not complying with the directives of the government and failed to take necessary action on the alerts. It sought that Muhammad Tahir should immediately be relieved of his duty in the province and should report to the Establishment Division

The provincial government sought the posting of Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, (PSP-BS-21) as IGP, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa immediately.

Meanwhile, the chief minister chaired an emergency meeting of the provincial cabinet and administration at Chief Minister’s Secretariat Peshawar. The meeting lasted three and half hours.

The caretaker chief minister formed a seven-member joint investigation team to investigate different dimensions and motives behind the inhuman act of terrorism. He also formed a sub-committee of the cabinet under his own chairmanship which would review and evaluate the reports of the JIT twice a week.