ISLAMABAD: The barbaric Sialkot incident of two brothers killing has been used just an excuse to remove the Regional Police Officer (RPO), Gujranwala, Zulfikar Cheema, who has been punished for the PML-Ns defeat at the hands of the PPP in NA-100.
The very day when the two brothers were lynched to death in Sialkot, The News had carried the story of the Punjab governments decision to remove Cheema, who did not allow the PML-N to rig the by-elections. It was not done then but has been done now smartly using the pretext of the Sialkot incident.
Interestingly, the police officer, whose reputation is above board, was conferred Tamgha-e-Imtiaz only ten days back on August 14 for his outstanding services in the field of crime control and for maintaining law and order. This honour was conferred upon the officer on the recommendation of the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, which Monday unceremoniously removed the officer.
A powerful Punjab minister, who spit venom against Cheema in different television channels last night, had reportedly warned the distinguished police officer during Gujranwala by-polls that he would have to face the music after he resisted every move of the ruling Punjab party to rig the elections.
The Punjab government, which after losing the Gujranwala seat started picking up holes in Cheemas performance, had originally sought Sitar-e-Jurat for the officer for his commendable role in drastically bringing down crime rate in his region.
Before Cheemas arrival, Gujranwala region was considered a nightmare for the police officers because of high crime rate and lawlessness. The region had the highest violent crime rate in the country, but after his appointment as RPO Gujranwala in April 2008, he put things right and restored the confidence of people in the supremacy of law and effectiveness of police system.
The News and Jang had run a front-page story on August 15 that the stage was set to remove this highly reputed police officer after some powerful PML-N leaders had successfully poisoned the Chief Minister, Punjab, to get rid of him after holding him responsible for the PML-Ns August 5 defeat in NA-100.
Instead of appreciating the officer for his neutrality, professionalism and extraordinary results that he had produced, according to the Punjab governments own record, to check crime in the Gujranwala region, he has been condemned for being non-cooperative during the recent by-polls.
The seat was won by the PPP candidate with a close margin but only after the Gujranwala police under Cheema successfully stayed neutral. The police also foiled any effort, including one by an influential PML-N minister to allegedly rig the polls.
A key leader of the PML-N had though denied that the officer was being removed because of his non-cooperation in the recent by-election, confirmed that the party MPs particularly those from the Gujranwala region were not happy with him and found the officer arrogant. Cheema was unpopular among the ruling PML-N MPs for the reason that he never entertained requests for the appointment of favourite SHOs and other police officials in their areas.
Interestingly, there has been no complaint of corruption, incompetence or inefficiency against the officer.
In bye-elections held on August 5, 2010, in NA-100 (Gujranwala-VI) PPP candidate Tassaduq Masood Khan defeated PML-Ns candidate by a margin of 4000 votes. This seat was vacated after disqualification of Mudassar Qayyum Nahra on account of his fake degree. This un-ceremonial removal of a fine police officer has badly exposed Shahbaz Sharif governments tall claims of merit and good governance.
PML-N takes revenge from Cheema
The very day when the two brothers were lynched to death in Sialkot, The News had carried the story of the Punjab governments decision to remove Cheema, who did not allow the PML-N to rig the by-elections. It was not done then but has been done now smartly using the pretext of the Sialkot incident.
Interestingly, the police officer, whose reputation is above board, was conferred Tamgha-e-Imtiaz only ten days back on August 14 for his outstanding services in the field of crime control and for maintaining law and order. This honour was conferred upon the officer on the recommendation of the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, which Monday unceremoniously removed the officer.
A powerful Punjab minister, who spit venom against Cheema in different television channels last night, had reportedly warned the distinguished police officer during Gujranwala by-polls that he would have to face the music after he resisted every move of the ruling Punjab party to rig the elections.
The Punjab government, which after losing the Gujranwala seat started picking up holes in Cheemas performance, had originally sought Sitar-e-Jurat for the officer for his commendable role in drastically bringing down crime rate in his region.
Before Cheemas arrival, Gujranwala region was considered a nightmare for the police officers because of high crime rate and lawlessness. The region had the highest violent crime rate in the country, but after his appointment as RPO Gujranwala in April 2008, he put things right and restored the confidence of people in the supremacy of law and effectiveness of police system.
The News and Jang had run a front-page story on August 15 that the stage was set to remove this highly reputed police officer after some powerful PML-N leaders had successfully poisoned the Chief Minister, Punjab, to get rid of him after holding him responsible for the PML-Ns August 5 defeat in NA-100.
Instead of appreciating the officer for his neutrality, professionalism and extraordinary results that he had produced, according to the Punjab governments own record, to check crime in the Gujranwala region, he has been condemned for being non-cooperative during the recent by-polls.
The seat was won by the PPP candidate with a close margin but only after the Gujranwala police under Cheema successfully stayed neutral. The police also foiled any effort, including one by an influential PML-N minister to allegedly rig the polls.
A key leader of the PML-N had though denied that the officer was being removed because of his non-cooperation in the recent by-election, confirmed that the party MPs particularly those from the Gujranwala region were not happy with him and found the officer arrogant. Cheema was unpopular among the ruling PML-N MPs for the reason that he never entertained requests for the appointment of favourite SHOs and other police officials in their areas.
Interestingly, there has been no complaint of corruption, incompetence or inefficiency against the officer.
In bye-elections held on August 5, 2010, in NA-100 (Gujranwala-VI) PPP candidate Tassaduq Masood Khan defeated PML-Ns candidate by a margin of 4000 votes. This seat was vacated after disqualification of Mudassar Qayyum Nahra on account of his fake degree. This un-ceremonial removal of a fine police officer has badly exposed Shahbaz Sharif governments tall claims of merit and good governance.
PML-N takes revenge from Cheema
