The federal government has recommended three names for the post of Sindh inspector general, sources said Wednesday, as the centre-Sindh row over IG Mushtaq Mahar continues to deepen.
It began with the arrest of Sindh Assembly Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Sheikh last week. He is accused of violating electoral rules and interfering with an anti-encroachment operation in Malir’s Memon Goth.
On Monday, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said he had written a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan, seeking immediate removal of IG Mahar. He wished for a police chief in Sindh “who may not oblige anyone”.
The names recommended by the centre include FIA DG Wajid Zia, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IG Dr Sanaullah Abbasi and former Balochistan IG Moazzam Jah Ansari, according to the sources with the federal government.
The Sindh government, however, says that it has not yet received any letter from the centre recommending the names for the new Sindh IG.
“As of now, the Sindh government has not received any name from the federal government for the appointment of new Sindh IG,” Sindh CM’s Advisor on Law Murtaza Wahab said.
“If the federal government moves on with the removal of the provincial police chief, then the matter will be brought in the Sindh cabinet for discussion.”
Opposition lawmakers have also submitted a resolution in the Sindh Assembly, demanding the removal of IG Mahar for “not operating independently and fairly”.
Reached for a comment, IG Mahar told SAMAA Digital that the Sindh police only followed the ECP’s directives for the arrest of Shaikh. “I do not have a stake in the Sindh IG’s post,” he said.
This is not the first time that the appointment of Sindh police chief has become an issue. Eleven police chiefs have been replaced in the province over the past 10 years.
SAMAA Digital spoke to former Sindh IG Afzal Shigri and he was extremely displeased with the possible removal of IG Mahar.
“Abolish the post of IG and appoint members of the National Assembly in its place,” he said. “Police is a uniformed organisation. When you remove its commander as part of a political vendetta, then it has dangerous implications.”
Shigri, a member of the Association of Former Inspectors General of Police, believes police officials hold their chief in high regard. They consider their chief’s disrespect as their own disrespect and stop working.
“When a new IG assumes charge, it becomes difficult for them to maintain law and order because the force has no morale left,” he said.
Below is a timeline of the appointment and removal of Sindh IGs:
March 05, 2011
Fayyaz Laghari was appointed the Sindh IG
June 14, 2011
Sindh IG Fayyaz Laghari was removed on the orders of the Supreme Court over the killing of a young man by the Sindh Rangers
June 15, 2011
Wajid Ali Durrani was appointed the new Sindh IG
October 10, 2011
IG Durrani left the charge after developing differences with the then Sindh home minister over transfers and postings of SHOs in Karachi
October 11, 2011
Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah was appointed the Sindh IG
July 10, 2012
Fayyaz Laghari was again appointed the provincial police chief after the retirement of IG Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah
March 06, 2013
Then Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah surrendered the services of IG Fayyaz Laghari to the centre
March 08, 2013
Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh was appointed the Additional IG
March 22, 2013
Shahid Nadeem Baloch was appointed the new IG
February 19, 2014
Iqbal Mehmood was appointed the acting Sindh IG after the retirement of IG Shahid Nadeem Baloch
April 06, 2014
Iqbal Mehmood was appointed the new Sindh IG. Months later, Mehmood left the charge due to differences with the Sindh government on the procurement of armoured personnel carriers
July 07, 2014
Ghulam Hyder Jamali assumed charge of the acting Sindh IG
September 09, 2014
Ghulam Hyder Jamali was formally appointed the new Sindh IG. But the Sindh government surrendered his services to the centre after the Supreme Court issued him notice over illegal appointments in the Sindh Reserve Police in December 2015.
March 12, 2016
Allah Dino Khowaja was appointed the new Sindh IG
March 12, 2018
The centre took back the services of AD Khowaja and appointed him the National Highways and Motorways Police IG
June 13, 2018
Amjad Javed Salemi was appointed the new Sindh IG
September 11, 2018
Dr Kaleem Imam assumed charge as the Sindh IG
February 28, 2020
IG Kaleem Imam was removed for expressing a difference of opinion over transfers postings of police officers and a crackdown against then Sindh energy minister Imtiaz Shaikh’s alleged drug dens in Shikarpur. IG Imam was replaced by Mushtaq Mahar
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