Fawad Chaudhry defends Punjab CM’s decision to transfer Pakpattan DPO
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News – 12th October, 2018) Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has defended Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s decision to transfer Pakpattan District Police Office (DPO) Rizwan Gondal.
In a tv interview, Fawad Chaudhry said that it was the chief minister’s right to transfer a police officer and seek an apology if he had misbehaved with someone’s family.
He said that the chief minister’s demand to give an apology was not wrong.
He further said that the government could not strongly present its case in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court on Monday disposed of the case pertaining to the transfer of former Pakpattan District Police Officer (DPO) Rizwan Gondal after accepting written apology of respondents, including Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Khawar Maneka’s friend Ahsan Jamil Gujjar and former Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Kaleem Imam.
Concluding the suo-motu notice on the transfer of former Pakpattan DPO Rizwan Gondal, the bench warned the respondents that if such incidents would be repeated then instant case could be re-opened.
Pakpattan DPO Rizwan Gondal was allegedly transferred for stopping Khawar Maneka, the former husband of Bushra Maneka, at a police check post and misbehaving with his daughter.
According to media reports, Maneka had used abusive language when police officials tried to stop him at a picket. DPO Rizwan Gondal was later asked to apologize to Maneka at his home which he refused, saying the police officials present on the occasion did not commit any crime.
Gondal was then transferred by then Punjab IGP Syed Kaleem Imam.
After the news of the DPO’s transfer went viral on social media, the IGP said that the Pakpattan DPO was not transferred ‘under any pressure but for making false statements’.
The CJP had taken a suo-motu notice of the incident and had ordered two inquiries into the matter.
After rejecting the first inquiry report submitted by former Punjab IG Kaleem Imam, the CJP had directed NACTA chief Khaliq Dad Lak to conduct another inquiry into the matter.
The report by NACTA chairman stated that the the former Pakpattan DPO's transfer was done on the basis of political influence, following which, the CJP had asked the parties involved to submit a reply to the court.
