Transfer of police officer on ‘political ground’ protested

LAKKI MARWAT: The people of Serai Naurang tehsil of Lakki Marwat district on Sunday staged a protest against the transfer of the regional police officer of Bannu Range on the political ground.

Led by district president Qaumi Watan Party Amirzada Khan Khattak, the workers and members of civil society took out protest and blocked the main Bannu-Dera Ismail Khan road for vehicular traffic. They were carrying placards and chanted slogans against the provincial government for the transfer of the RPO Bannu, Abdul Ghafoor Afridi. Speaking on the occasion, the leaders including Amirzada Khattak, Zafarullah and others alleged that the vehicle of the son of special advisor to the chief minister, Shah Muhammad Wazir, had collided with the bike of a police constable in Bannu City. They said that the advisor had not only registered a first information report against the cop but also asked the police station officials to include the kidnapping section in the FIR. They further said that the case was brought into the notice of the Regional Police Officer Abdul Ghafoor Afridi, who refused to do what the advisor wanted. The adviser informed the chief minister about the incident and asked him to transfer the RPO, they claimed, adding, the chief minister asked the provincial police chief to transfer the RPO. They maintained that the RPO was a honest and dutiful senior police officer who had restored peace in the Bannu division, adding, some of the dreaded outlaws were eliminated.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party provincial council member Malak Riaz and district president Malak Ali Sawar Khan speaking at a press conference condemned the transfer of RPO on political ground and gave a 24-hour deadline to the provincial government to withdraw the transfer order, otherwise, they would block the Indus Highway today (Monday).