IAB chief picks 18 officers to start cleaning up police department

The chief of the newly established Internal Accountability Bureau (IAB) has chosen 18 special officers of the Sindh police to immediately start filtering the black sheep out of the law-enforcement department, so the benefits of a cleaner and a more honest police force can reach ordinary citizens as soon as possible.

“I had recommended the names of 18 well-reputed police officials so that 12 to 15 of them could be picked for the bureau, but IG sahib [the Sindh police chief] approved all of them,” Additional IG Farhat Ali Junejo told The News.

“Right now, these 18 police officials are more than enough for the bureau, as we will have some flexibility if some officers go on leave or are taking a course, etc.”

The IAB chief will also supervise the cases himself. Picking the special police officers for the bureau, though, was nothing less than a challenge for him. “It was a difficult task to pick the officers, but thank God now I have the best team and, hopefully, the bureau will work independently and give their best.”

The accountability bureau will investigate all complaints made against police officials, including the misuse of power and corruption, and every IAB officer will be assigned an inquiry according to their rank.

The special team comprises 18 police officers: three deputy inspectors general (DIGs), nine senior superintendents of police (SSPs), two superintendents of police (SPs), two assistant superintendents of police (ASPs), one deputy superintendent of police (DSP) and one inspector, according to a copy of the order issued by AIGP Operations Bashir Ahmed Brohi for the inspector general of police / secretary to the Government of Sindh Police Department, Karachi.

The officers name are listed as DIG Zulfiqar Ali Larik, DIG Imran Yaqub, DIG Muhammad Noman Siddiqui, SSP Tanvir Alam Odho, SSP Faisal Abdullah Chachar, SSP Qamar Raza Jiskani, SSP Shad Ibne Masih, SSP Ghulam Sarwar Bhayo, SSP Amjad Shaikh, SSP Tanvir Tunio, SSP Arif Aslam Rao, SSP Sajid Amir Suddozai, SP Suhai Aziz Talpur, SP Zahida Parveen, ASP Ahmed Faisal Chaudary, ASP Aleena Rajar, DSP Masood Akhtar Khan and Inspector Siraj Lashari.

Concerned

From the rank of constable to that of DIG, every official of the Sindh police seems concerned about getting themselves cleared after the law-enforcement department set up the IAB on the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Junejo was appointed the founding chief of the IAB. A relevant notification was also issued by Sindh Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah. Thirty-six complaint centres of the provincial police force will work under the accountability bureau.