Lahore Police chief dismisses IB report branding him ‘corrupt’

ISLAMABAD: The controversial new Capital City Police Officer (CCPO), Lahore, Umar Shaikh, on Thursday sent a damning Intelligence Bureau (IB) report that brands him as “corrupt” — both morally and financially — along with a voice message of his version of the story to this correspondent, asking him to publish it in this newspaper.

Shaikh was responding after he was told that The News does not want to do a story on the IB’s extremely damning report on him unless the officer also provides his own complete version to balance the story.

When Sheikh shared a voice note along with the IB report on WhatsApp, thisscribe told the officer: “Shaikh sahib. I don’t want to write on the IB report unless you send me your complete version. If your version is contained in this audio file, then it’s okay for me. It’s up to you!”

Shaikh replied: “Yes sir, it’s my version — unless you have some corresponding questions please.” He was again asked, “So should I publish the IB report with your version as given in the audio (message)?” He responded: “Yes please.”

The News was in possession of the IB report even earlier, but it chose not to publish its contents in earlier stories on the subject without a detailed version of the CCPO. That is because the contents of the report were highly damaging for the newly-appointed CCPO.

On the question of Shaikh’s integrity, the IB report dubs him “corrupt” -- both financially and morally. His general reputation is also termed as “corrupt”. The report says his behavior with the public is “good” but he is “rude” to colleagues. In the column “Any Negative Observation”, the IB report states: “He could misuse power or authority for resolving bribe/gratification.”

In its general remarks, the IB report states: “He remained posted as DPO Sargodha (from 14.09.2006 to 20.08.2007). He remained involved in corrupt practices for financial gains. He relied on [name deleted], then DSP city, and posted SHOs on his recommendations after getting gratification from them.” The IB report also contained some names of SHOs that are not being published here. It alleged that the SHOs gave Shaikh 100,000 rupees each as gratification on a monthly basis through a DSP [name not published here].

The report added: “He was reputed to be financially and morally corrupt (drinker, gambler and womaniser in the area). Reportedly, he established illegal sexual relations with one Ms x [name not published], a constable of the Punjab Police, during his posting in the area. He did not take interest in discharging his official work and solving public problems and spent most of his time in gambling during his posting in the area. He also served in IB PPHQ Lahore as Director and also remained posted in the USA from the IB. Presently, he is serving as RPO D.G.Khan.”

In his response shared with The News via a voice message, the CCPO Lahore said that firstly this report does not mention his father’s name, which means the IB did not even know the name of his father. Secondly, he pointed to an error in the number of his sons mentioned in the report; in an earlier story, Shaikh had explained that he had two sons but the IB report mentioned three.

Shaikh claimed that this report was generated by the IB in 2006. He said that this report was put together on the special direction of certain officials who were hostile to him. Shaikh did not name these officers. The CCPO said that this IB report of 2006 was presented before the Central Selection Board (CSB) in 2013 when he was to be considered for promotion from BS-19 to BS-20.

Shaikh said that despite the presence of this report he was recommended for promotion as DIG by the Board which comprised senior CSPs and senior IGPs. He maintained that he was promoted to DIG because the then Chairman FPSC/Chairman CSB Malik Hayat had rejected the IB report as “all bulls**t” by saying that Umar Shaikh had worked under him in two districts and thus was known to him. He said the chairman of the board therefore said: “Promote him as DIG!”

One interesting point to be noted here is that while Shaikh says that the IB report was generated in 2006, the report in question not only mentions Shaikh's tenure as DPO Sargodha in 2006-2007 but also adds that Shaikh "is presently serving as RPO D.G.Khan"-- a position on which he served from 2018 to 2019.