Wide protests, demos, shutter down in Khairpur against SSP’s transfer

SUKKUR: A complete shutter down in Khairpur against transfer of SSP Nasir Aftab Pathan was observed by citizens, traders, religious parties, civil society on Wednesday.
Reports said the Sindh government transferred SSP Nasir Aftab Pathan from Khairpur and posted SSP Amjad Sheikh. Immediately after the notification of Nasir Aftab’s transfer was circulated, hundreds of citizens, workers of civil society, traders and religious parties activists came on roads. There was complete shutter down, the petrol pumps were closed, while tyres were set on fire at different places.
There were demonstrations on National Highway at different places including Therhi, Gambat, Hingorija, and the routes were blocked by the protesters. A protest Demonstration was also staged at Railway track at Khairpur, which suspended the travel of Zakaria Express to Lahore.
The demonstrators vowed to continue the protests up to withdrawal of SSP Nasir Aftab Pathan’s transfer order. They said the SSP had controlled crimes and restored law and order situation. Why such SSP had been transferred who had restored peace in the city, they asked.
When asked a senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said there was 28-acre of land, which was granted by CM Sindh for the martyred policemen of Khairpur and the police proposed a house scheme for their heirs. He said the allotted land was illegally occupied by a well-known political figure of Khairpur. He said SSP Pathan had told him to vacate the land, which he refused. Later SSP Pathan approached the Chief Minister to report the situation. Instead of taking action on the compliant the CM issued transfer orders of the SSP.
He said the reason the SSP was transfered, is that the SSP had refused to appoint a number of cops the ruling party had recommended, saying he would not compromise over merit. He said the other reason for the SSP’s transfer is the forthcoming local bodies’ elections, in which the ruling party feared the SSP and his team would remain impartial and would not bow down to any pressure.
Meanwhile, SSP Khairpur Pathan relinquished his charge and new SSP was on his way to Khairpur to assume his charge.However, some 40 Station House Officers and two DSPs surrendered their charges in protest against SSP Pathan’s transfer. They stated they learned honesty and good policing from SSP Khairpur Pathan, who never left the cops alone in combating criminals.