Sindh IGP issue: Federal cabinet seeks fresh names, Sindh refuses

KARACHI: The Sindh Government has refused to give any more names for the IGP, reigniting the nagging discord with the federal government.

In a mid-day telephonic conversation between the prime minister and the chief minister, Imran Khan conveyed the federal cabinet's decision of deferring the appointment of Sindh's favourite candidate Mushtaq Mehr as the IG. CM Murad Ali Shah was told that the federal cabinet allies from Sindh are absolutely against surrendering the services of the incumbent IG Kaleem Imam. They have also expressed strong opposition to the panel of officers sent by the Sindh government. In his response, the Sindh Chief Minister told the prime minister that it is not possible to amend the panel of officers already submitted to the federal government anymore.

The Sindh government has already twice forwarded amended panels for the IG to the Establishment Division. The first panel contained names of BPS 21 officers including Ghulam Thebo, Mushtaq Mehr, Kamran Afzal, and Sanaullah Abbasi. Later it was amended to include one more name of BPS 21 officer Inamur Rehman.

By Monday night it looked as if the simmering issue has been resolved following a meeting at the Sindh Governor House between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. It was communicated that the prime minister has green flagged the appointment of the IG Railways Mushtaq Mehr. However, the bickering renewed once again after the federal government in its cabinet meeting. A visibly frustrated Sindh Government's Spokesman Barrister Murtaza Wahab asked do we have to go the UN seeking IG's transfer. Claiming the 'new decision' as another expression of dual standards by the Federal Government Murtaza charged that Punjab has changed five IGs in the last one year.

Earlier, Special Advisor on Prime Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told media that "The appointment of Mushtaq Mehar as Sindh IGP has been deferred. She said the PM had directed Sindh Governor Imran Ismail to form a consensus with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on the new IG's appointment. SAPM Awan said that the governor and chief minister will deliberate not only on the same names but on new ones as well to replace Imam. She said that the names of the candidates will then be put forward before the cabinet for approval.

On the other hand Prime Minister Imran has reportedly summoned Sindh's top police official to Islamabad where they are expected to hold a meeting.

Strongly reacting to the federal cabinet's decision, Sindh Information Minister Saeed Ghani said that the designation of Inspector General of Police Kaleem Imam should be changed to PTIG so that there is no misconception that he belongs to the party," said the minister, adding that his fears about Imam have proven true. The minister said hostility from the opposition benches, federal govt allies, for the Sindh IG’s transfer means that they had vested interests.