Petition against Punjab IGP’s appointment withdrawn

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday dismissed a petition as withdrawn against the appointment of Amjad Javed Saleemi as new inspector general of police, Punjab.

A lawyer, Khwaja Waseem, had moved the petition, contending that the government transferred IGP Muhammad Tahir within one month after his appointment and replaced him with Saleemi in violation of the rules.

He pointed out that the post of the provincial police chief was a tenure post under the relevant rules as the government was required to furnish solid reasons prior to transferring the officer before the period of three years. The petitioner asked the court to set aside the appointment of Amjad Saleem as IGP.

An assistant advocate general opposed the petition for being not maintainable. He pointed out that the matter pertained to transfer of a government servant and the service tribunal was the appropriate forum to challenge it.

He said a quo warranto petition was competent to question appointment of a public office but the petitioner did not invoke that jurisdiction.

Moreover, he argued that the petitioner was not an aggrieved party in the case as the transfer could be challenged by the officer concerned but before the service tribunal only.

He argued that the petitioner could not agitate the matter in writ jurisdiction of the high court. He said the petitioner assailed the notification of Saleemi’s appointment but did not question the transfer of Mr Tahir.

The petitioner sought permission to withdraw his petition when Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh asked him under what law he challenged the appointment of the IGP? At this, the judge dismissed the petition as withdrawn. Election Commission of Pakistan has already suspended the transfer of IGP Tahir.