Supreme Court Puts Brakes on Transfer of Former Lahore Police Chief
On Friday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended the order to transfer former Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, and reinstated him as the Lahore CCPO.
The Punjab caretaker chief minister had ordered the transfer of Dogar and appointed Bilal Siddique Kamyana as the new Lahore CCPO.
However, the court declared that the power to order transfers belongs to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), not the chief election commissioner (CEC), and the ECP did not delegate its powers in writing to the CEC.
The apex court also rejected the ECP’s request for more time to submit records on transfer postings.
During the hearing, the court asked who called the chief election commissioner and requested the transfer, and why the individual was not told to wait for the ECP to make the decision on the application.
The court also raised questions about the CEC making decisions on behalf of the entire electoral body.
As the clock is ticking for elections in Punjab, which must be held within 90 days after the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly as stipulated by the Constitution.SC highlighted that it is the ECP’s responsibility to conduct transparent elections and that the delay in elections in Punjab has already been referred to the chief justice of Pakistan.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association’s request to issue an order on the petition for elections in Punjab was also rejected, as the issue before the court was only the transfer case of the Lahore CCPO.
In conclusion, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has suspended the transfer of former Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar and reinstated him as the Lahore CCPO. The court has emphasized that the power to order transfers belongs to the Election Commission of Pakistan, not the chief election commissioner.
Additionally, the court has expressed concerns about the delay in elections in Punjab.
And the need for the ECP to conduct transparent elections within the constitutional timeline. While the court’s decision pertains only to the transfer case of the Lahore CCPO, it highlights the importance of following established protocols and procedures in order to uphold transparency and fairness in electoral processes.
