Sindh IGP to remain in place until federal govt responds, SHC rules

F.P. Report

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday ordered for Inspector General of Police Kaleem Imam to not be removed from his post until the federal government replies to the provincial government on the matter.

The court gave these orders while hearing a petition — by social activist and budding politician Jibran Nasir — against the Sindh IGP’s removal.

“Remove him whenever the federal government responds, even if it is this evening,” the judge said.

In the petition, the applicant had summarised everything that had happened in the case, starting from the Sindh cabinet’s meeting that had decided that the IGP should be removed, to the establishment division’s refusal to remove Imam from his post as due discussions were not held between the federal and provincial governments.

The petition sought that the Sindh government’s move to remove the IGP without due process be blocked by the court.

Opening his arguments, the petitioner’s lawyer, Faisal Siddiqui, said that the court has already blocked the Sindh government’s move to transfer two police officers out of the province.

“Now they want to remove the Sindh IGP, and put someone else in his position,” the lawyer said.

Siddiqui argued that the Sindh government did not mention any consultation with the federal government in their letter to the establishment division.

Responding to the petitioner’s argument, Additional Advocate General Sindh Shabbir Shah said that the matter is of public interest. However, he conceded that the federal government was yet to respond to the Sindh government on the matter of the current IGP’s removal.

Commenting on the situation, the judge said that the matter should be solved through due process and that the Sindh IGP should not be removed from his post until the reply from the federal government is received.

The hearing was then adjourned till January 28.