ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court has dismissed appeal against removal of CCPO Lahore after it was withdrawn by the petitioner.
“I withdraw the appeal against the transfer of Ghulam Mehmood Dogar,” said Abid Zuberi, the counsel of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
‘PTI’s blue-eyed officer’ Ghulam Mehmood Dogar had been asked to report to Services and General Administration Department.
Court proceedings :
Chief Justice (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial noted that “under Article 218, the ECP uses the power of transfer to ensure a fair and transparent election. The ECP can give orders to the caretaker government to transfer officers”.
CJP also commented that the “ECP is a constitutional institution that we will protect”, adding “if there is malpractice in transparent elections, we will intervene”.
Justice Yahya Afridi inquired “when does the ECP use the power of transfer and posting” and when did the electoral body approve Dogar’s transfer.
ECP’s lawyer informed court that the ECP gave verbal nod to the caretaker government for the transfer of CCPO Lahore on January 23.
Chief Justice (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial maintained that all political parties should get equal opportunity in elections, adding that the “ECP should not give open powers to the caretaker government for transfers”.
Historical perspective :
This was the first key appointment change made by the caretaker chief minister of Punjab. Pro PML-N Bilal Siddique Kamyana, a senior police officer had been appointed as CCPO Lahore by caretaker CM Punjab on the first day in office. This was Kamyana’s appointment for second term as CCPO Lahore. Kamyana had been presumably been appointed to deal with PTI’s protests against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision to appoint Naqvi as interim chief minister.
Kamyana who belongs to 24th common has been criticised previously by PTI for use of force against its workers during its ‘Haqeqi Azadi’ long march in Lahore on May 25 last year.
Kamyana was first appointed in Punjab Police by Hamza Shahbaz as the chief minister of Punjab. Before his appointment as CCPO Lahore, he was serving on a key post in Intelligence Bureau in Lahore.
Following Pervaiz Elahi’s election as the chief minister, he removed CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana along with DG Anti-Corruption Abdul Jabbar and DPO Jhang Sardar Ghias Gul Khan.
He replaced Bilal Siddique Kamyana with Ghulam Mehmood Dogar as CCPO Lahore. He had also initiated action against the cops involved in ‘crushing’ PTI’s long march.
