KP Police yet to name replacements for removed DIGs

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police authorities have failed to announce replacements for the two deputy inspectors general (DIGs) of police who were removed in haste many days back.

The new administration of the KP Police reshuffled a number of junior officers after the powers were delegated to a committee headed by an additional inspector general. Others were posted to replace these officers in different parts of the province.

However, the bosses of the force are yet to post any officer to replace two senior officers. The inspector general of police (IGP) removed DIG Telecommunication Nisar Ahmad and Regional Police Officer (RPO) of Hazara Mazharul Haq Kakakhel without naming their replacements days after he assumed charge of the office of provincial police chief.

“Now a DIG is looking after the office of DIG Telecommunication as an additional responsibility while District Police Officer Abbottabad Javed Iqbal is taking care of the office of RPO since no one has been posted on these two important positions. There are competent officers available but the administration is hesitant for unknown reasons to nominate replacements,” a source told The News.

The police chief paid a visit to the Hazara range during this period but did not appoint any officer as RPO in one of the biggest police regions that include seven districts on both sides of the Karakoram Highway.

Many believe that the two officers were removed in haste without any solid ground. There was no known complaint regarding any wrongdoing during their brief tenures. The two DIGs had reported to KP recently and had hardly served for a couple of months when they were posted by the previous IGP after a long break. “Why were they posted if they had really done something wrong in the past?” questioned the source.

Many had appreciated the new setup after powers were delegated to a committee headed by an Additional Inspector General of police to transfer and post junior officers and even recommend names for DPOs and other senior positions.

However, the hesitation to nominate any officer as RPO Hazara and DIG Telecommunication has triggered a debate among the police circles. The circles are also discussing the way the two senior officers were removed.

“There are hardly a couple of senior officers available to be posted as Additional IGPs. Some of the seasoned cops have been posted as DIGs. The provincial police force should either get senior officers from other provinces for posting as Additional IGPs or elevate the deserving ones to run the affairs smoothly,” the source added. The province currently has one officer in grade-21 posted as Additional IGP against five sanctioned posts in the KP Police. The DIGs in grade-20 were posted as Additional IGPs in recent years to help the IGP in deciding key issues.

The spokesman for the KP Police was approached as to what were the reasons the two DIGs were removed and why no replacements have been named.