Sindh opposition leader asks PM to task FIA to probe charges against Sindh ministers

KARACHI: The politicisation between the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf over the issue of the removal of the Sindh IGP has taken a new turn as the leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly has written a letter to the prime minister to ask the Federal Investigation Agency to investigate the charges of backing criminal elements against two Sindh ministers. PTI parliamentary leader Haleem Adil Sheikh also wrote a letter to the CM Murad Ali Shah, accusing him of violating the police act in the removal of the IGP issue.

Firdous Shamim Naqvi, the leader of the opposition in the Sindh, had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, asking him to send police inquires to the FIA against two important provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Imtiaz Shaikh to probe the allegations leveled against them. He also criticized the CM Sindh for violating the police act, saying “first and foremost we take strong exception that the IGP Sindh is being replaced without taking the Police Commission into confidence. Secondly, such actions should not be announced through the media till they are finalized,” he said.

The law approved by the Sindh Assembly now requires that the three-year IGP's tenure should be protected. He said that in the last 12 years of PPP rule,14 IGs have been changed. Addressing PM, he also said that if the CM Sindh was seeking change IGP, he should inform you in writing and in private or the federal government in private giving compelling reasons as called out in Clause 12 of the same Act. “Instead he chose to go against a decorated Police Officer who has served the Police Department for over 25 years, who has served abroad and received many awards for his services,” he said. “IGP is an extremely respected Police Officer and considered as competent by his colleagues and subordinates. To play with the future of such an officer in the manner chosen is against the norms of justice and fair play.”

Naqvi claimed that IGP Sindh has recommended removal of 28 police officers from the service because of their involvement in corruption. “But CM Shah has been sitting on their files because the police officers are the cronies of Sindh MPAs and Sindh’s ruling party members.” He further informed the PM that CM Sindh asked the Establishment Division to send two senior police officers out of the province because they have submitted reports against provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Imtiaz Shiak, accusing them of being involved in criminal activities. “We would strongly recommend to you that you should immediately send these reports to the Federal Investigation Agency to probe them and to ensure that justice is duly done,” he said.

Also, Haleem Adil Sheikh, the PTI’S central vice president, and parliamentary party leader in Sindh Assembly, on Monday, wrote a letter to CM Sindh chief minister, saying that while he had written three letters to the Prime Minister he was not fulfilling promises. “These allegations are totally wrong and baseless, and as an elected representative of people and member of the opposition, he reserves the right to answer and clarify the facts,” he said.

As per his information, when the Sindh government started consultation, the federal government responded positively, as per the spirit of the pact of 1993 between the provinces and the federation, Shaikh said. “As you decided to get transferred the IGP after consultation with your cabinet, PM had also consulted with his cabinet,” he said. In the first meeting of the federal cabinet on January 28, the cabinet decided to consult with the Sindh governor, who represents the federation, but you (CM) refused to talk to him and started leveling political allegations.”

“Later, another letter was written to the PM in which objections were raised on the press conference of PM’s information adviser Firdous Ashiq Awan, despite she had only briefed the media about the decisions of the cabinet, while the Sindh information advisor presented a charge sheet in his press conference against the IGP Sindh,” the PTI leader said. “Had the Sindh government followed the rules this would not have become a complicated issue,” he asked the CM. Shaikh said as per Police Act 2002, Amendment Act 2019 and Police Act 1861, an IGP is posted for three years. The current IGP Sindh had taken charge of his office on September 15, 2018, and his tenure is till September 14, 2021. As per the law if the provincial government wants to get an IGP transferred during this three-year duration it has to present cogent reasons.

Shaikh said that as per the verdict of the apex court in AD Khawaja case, it was said that the provincial cabinet will communicate with the federal government and present specific reasons for the transfer of IGP and all these reasons would also be sent to the IGP who would clarify his position before the cabinet. However, in the case of present IGP, the provincial government did not follow these rules. It even did not serve any notice to the IGP, he said.