SC reinstates Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar

ISLAMABAD: Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, who was suspended by the federal government, was reinstated by the Supreme Court Friday.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, held a hearing in which the court issued a notice to the federal government on Dogar's appeal against the decision of the Federal Service Tribunal (FST).

Dogar's lawyer Abid Zuberi said Dogar was reinstated by the FST and a two-member bench of the service tribunal had then suspended the reinstatement decision. The decision of a two-member bench of the tribunal cannot be suspended by another two-member bench when the government's review petition is also pending before it, he argued.

At this, Justice Ijaz asked how one bench of the tribunal could suspend the decision of another bench.

The special bench said the petition was premature and also suspended the order, Justice Ijaz said.

Justice Mazahar Naqvi asked how the high court can say that a constitutional petition is not worth hearing.

Lawyer Zuberi replied that the provincial government does not want to release the CCPO.

The court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period after restoring Dogar as the Lahore CCPO.

CCPO's suspension 

The federal government suspended Lahore CCPO Dogar with immediate effect on November 5. The move came a day after an angry mob of PTI supporters staged a protest demonstration outside Governor House in Lahore against the assassination attempt on the life of the party chairman Imran Khan.

The cop challenged his suspension as the CCPO in the Lahore High Court (LHC). He also moved the FST against his suspension.

On November 8, the LHC dismissed Dogar's plea, saying it does not have the authority to hear the case.

Meanwhile, on November 10, the tribunal comprising Asim Akram and Mushtaq Jadoon suspended the federal government’s November 5 notification in a two-page written verdict.

Approving Dogar’s appeal against the federal government's decision, the tribunal declared his suspension against the law and contrary to the verdicts of the top court.

Later, on December 2, a FST bench ordered to remove the CCPO, rejecting the single-bench order of reinstating Dogar which was then challenged by the cop in the apex court.