Senior officers reluctant to serve as KP IGP

PESHAWAR: Senior most police officers are reluctant to be posted as Inspector General of Police of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Federal and provincial governments have approached at least three police officers for the top slot but they refused to serve in KP.

This scribe contacted three police officers who were approached but they refused. Requesting anonymity they confirmed they were approached by the government from different sources. The government had made-up its mind to replace Muhammad Naeem Khan soon after his posting but they could not find the suitable candidate for the slot.

One police officer told this scribe that political interference had increased in the second tenure of the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The CM is not the only boss in the province. There are many others too. We cannot come up to their expectations. The PTI wants the IG to follow merit and serve according to rules and regulations but things happen otherwise,” he said.

Another officer said that the KP police had divided into different groups and nobody was willing to serve in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Political interference and polarization had dealt a severe blow to the force in KP.

“Favoritism and nepotism have increased in the past few months. Hypocrisy is the criterion for posting in the province. Performance has deteriorated and trust of the public in police has slowly and gradually eroded,” he claimed. Another senior officer said the government was not feeling comfortable with police chiefs because it wanted them to perform outstandingly and also act on its whims. Nobody can deliver without authority and non-interference

Chief Minister Mahmood Khan while dismissing the impression of political interference in police said the police chief is working without any interference in the province. However, the government was not satisfied with the performance of outgoing IG Muhammad Naeem Khan.

“His performance was not satisfactory so it was important to replace him”, he added When asked about the unwillingness of officers to be posted in KP, the CM said it was not true. He said he had met Abbasi in KP House in Islamabad one month ago and he was ready to head KP police.