Punjab IG transferred for not falling into line: Ahsan

By Our correspondents

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE: PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal Tuesday hailed former Punjab IGPs Shoaib Dastageer, Arif Nawaz, Amjad Saleemi, Muhammad Tahir and Kaleem Imam, saying that they preferred to get transferred over obeying illegal political orders of the government.

In a tweet, he hoped that new IG Inam Ghani will follow suit serving both the Constitution and conscience.

PML-N Deputy Secretary General Attaullah Tarar and party’s Secretary Information Punjab Azma Bokhari, meanwhile, alleged that PM’s Adviser Shahzad Akbar was the main player behind the transfer of IG Punjab Shoaib Dastagir.

Talking to media outside the Punjab Assembly Tuesday, the PML-N leaders flayed the PTI government for using police for political purpose. The PML-N leaders said the PTI government wanted to use police as its tool and needed police officials who could not deny the orders. They also said in the tenure of former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, Dolphin Force, CTD, PRU and many other forces were established. On the other hand, they said the PTI was using police for its own service.

The PML-N stalwarts also said every act of DG Anti-Corruption Gohar Nafees was under watch and added the way house of PML-N MPA Imran Khalid Butt was raided was condemnable and legal course would be adopted over this issue. Azma Bokhari alleged that the new IG had been given the task to eliminate the PML-N but many IGs posted for this purpose could not do this. She also alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan during every visit to Lahore insulted bureaucrats and under this approach no official would show eagerness to work with the government in the coming days. PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said changing the Punjab Inspector General Police won’t do any good unless Prime Minister Imran Khan is removed from the office.

In a series of tweets, Marriyum said PM Imran has literally put the country’s economy, governance and all departments in the coffin of his incompetence. Incompetent and inept, the thieves of the PTI have changed the fifth IG Punjab in two years, she added. The former information minister said the economy and departments have been compromised for ‘Imran-led mafia government’. Until Imran sahib is changed, no positive change can come for the country and the people, she stressed. She said the people and the bureaucracy don’t trust Imran and Punjab chief minister that is why they should resign and go home. “The refusal of the IG Punjab to work with the chief minister is a telling proof of the failure of the prime minister’s governance. IG Punjab’s statement is a slap in the face of the PTI government’s transparency,” she added.

Marriyum said former IG Punjab saying that “there are issues of misconduct” is a matter of great concern. She said his statement simply means that corruption, incompetence and nepotism are rampant. Former IG Punjab’s distrust in Punjab chief minister is a manifestation of the destruction of governance. This, she said is proof that the rulers are using institutions for politics for the last two years. The PML-N has been pointing out that there is interference in the institutions, she further added.