Police officer’s transfer triggers debate

PESHAWAR: The transfer of a senior police officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police has triggered a debate as many on social media reported that the official was removed from Bannu after he refused to add kidnapping section in a case on the directives of a cabinet member.

The DIG Bannu, Abdul Ghafoor Afridi, was removed and closed to Central Police Office while Awwal Khan was posted in his place. A source said the DIG was removed when he and the district police officer refused to add sections of kidnapping in the FIR of son of a provincial cabinet member, who had a clash with some locals after an accident. Afridi was being regarded much by the locals after he had taken steps to improve law and order in Bannu and led several operations.

The source said many officers were concerned after some posting and transfer in recent months in which junior officers were given important positions and senior were ignored or posted against insignificant positions. The spokesman for the KP government, however, told media persons that the transfer of the DIG Bannu was a routine matter and it was not politically influenced.