PTI opposes IGP Sindh’s removal, terms it part of pre-poll rigging plan

KARACHI: Expressing its concerns over Sindh cabinet’s approval to remove Dr. Kaleem Imam from the post of Sindh police chief, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Sindh has decided to oppose the provincial government’s move and move to court against the decision. Also, the Prime Minister Imran Khan had reportedly summoned Governor Sindh Imran Ismail to Islamabad to discuss the removal of Sindh police chief.

Soon after the Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani’s press conference, the PTI leaders said that Pakistan People’s Party-led Sindh government was afraid of ‘brave’ and ‘honest’ police officers in the province and was victimizing them. “We will not let the IG Sindh be removed come what way,” Firdous Shamim Naqvi, a PTI’s key leader and opposition leader in Sindh Assembly, said while talking to media persons.

He alleged that removal of Imam is the part of the PPP’s plan for pre-election rigging to steal the upcoming local government polls in the province. “The PPP leaders and ministers want to turn the police into ‘slaves’, but we will not allow them to do so,” said Naqvi. “Sindh police need police officers like Rao Anwar.” Naqvi said that the federal government recommends the names, not the provincial government. He claimed that without consultation with the opposition, the Sindh police chief cannot be changed.

Naqvi also said that Prime Minister Khan has contacted Governor Ismail to discuss the situation after the Sindh government surrendered Imam’s services to the federal government. He also said that the provincial government must disclose the real reason for seeking removal of IG Sindh and give an opportunity to the officer to defend himself.

Haleem Adil Shaikh, the PTI’s parliamentary leader in Sindh Assembly, said that police order in Sindh has become police disorder. “The Sindh government has done what we feared it would do when the Police Act was being passed,” he said. He said that the PPP-led Sindh government was afraid to ‘brave’ and ‘honest’ police officers in the province and therefore appoints only their loyal officers.

Shaikh also said that Sindh government was so afraid that it had banned police officers from issuing media statements. He said that if Sindh government was so interested to remove someone on the basis of bad performance, they should remove provincial health minister.