LHC suspends notification of Usman Khattak’s appointment as IG Punjab

LAHORE: A day after Punjab government appointed retired Capt Usman Khattak as permanent provincial police chief, the Lahore High Court suspended the government’s notification regarding his appointment.

Following the LHC’s orders to appoint a permanent Punjab Police Office (PPO), the government had appointed Khattak as IG Punjab, who is due to retire on Nov 1, this year.

Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, who headed a bench, came down hard on the provincial government for appointing a police officer, who is about to retire after three months. He observed that PPO has to be appointed for three years on permanent basis, but the government has been dragging its feet to implement court orders and Police Order 2002.

The judge remarked that the government is making fun of court orders and has acted in contempt of court.

Lawyer Saad Rasool had petitioned the high court seeking the enforcement of Police Order 2002 and challenging the appointment of Usman Khattak as acting IG of Punjab.

He argued that the appointment of IGPs and CCPOs should be made on the recommendations of the duly constituted National Public Safety Commission. However, he added, the commission had never been properly constituted since the promulgation of the relevant law.