KARACHI   -  Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Thursday expressed serious concerns over Sindh Government’s plan for creating provincial Police Cadre and termed it as a deliberate defiance to constitution of Pakistan. 

Addressing a press conference here at Sindh Assembly building he said that Sindh government after its defeat in issue of transfers under rotation policy reportedly envisaging creation of provincial police cadre and it was included in agenda of Sindh cabinet meeting scheduled on the day. He said that Sindh government earlier attempted to promulgate local government amendment bill 2021 in violation of 140-A and other articles of the constitution and now they were going to contravene the constitution again. He noted that Police Services of Pakistan were all Pakistan service common to the federation and provinces and only parliament was empowered to determine the appointments and conditions of service in the regard. 

“PSP derives its origin from Articles 240 and 241 of the Constitution while condition of service of persons of All Pakistan Service are governed by Civil Servants Act 1973 and Police Service of Pakistan (Composition, Cadre and Seniority) Rules 1985,” he observed adding that all the police posts of grade 18 and above in the province were PSP posts and were part of their cadre strength. 

The creation of a provincial cadre and apportionment of seats from the PSP cadre posts would tantamount to changing their condition of service and it would be in violation of the constitution as it would require an amendment in the constitution, Haleem maintained. He alleged that PPP wanted to protect those ranker officers recruited and promoted by Sindh government in violation of merit as well as rules and who were serving political and personal interests of Zardari and Murad Ali Shah by their above the law actions. 

There was a lengthy story of such cadre officers from DIG Pinjal Khan to Rao Anwar, he added. He said that although policing was a provincial subject direct recruitment of DSPs was stopped through Police Order 2002 but later it was resumed after promulgation of Sindh Police Act 2019. However, after promotion to grade 18 in the rank of Superintendent of Police, they will have to be encadred to Police Service of Pakistan as per the provision of PSP Rules 1985, he said.

He told that after creation of unconstitutional provincial police cadre Sindh government will lose all its right on federal institutions like FIA, IB, NACTA, NPF and NPA as under establishment division’s rotation policy officers were posted in different provinces and Federal law enforcement agencies to diversify their experience and maintain and balance between the federating units.

Haleem Adil Sheikh indicated that the move would not only adversely affect the national morale but fate of a number of police officers already in federal service against the Sindh provincial quota would become dubious.

Sheikh while quoting the media reports said that police officials would be selected by Sindh Public Service Commission whose reputation and credibility had not been up to the mark. He added that it would not only obstruct recruitment on merit but also demoralise the talented candidates especially coming from down trodden class if selection will not be made by Federal Public Service Commission.

He alleged that owing to rise of the unpopular political graph, the PPP would try to rule by misuse of the police force against the will of people of Sindh province to achieve the political motives. Leader of the opposition said that he through a letter demanded Sindh Chief Minister to adopt a mature political and administrative approach to handle delicate matters as supremacy of the constitution, national integrity and solidarity must prevail at all cost. Haleem said that he would write a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to intervene in situation.