The Star

Karachi
3^rd Feb 1999

Some Punjabi officers have more
powers than governor

By Mazhar Abbas

Are some senior police officers posted from the Punjab after imposition of governor's rule more powerful than Governor Moinuddin Haider who is being bypassed on certain police actions.

Well informed sources said that while major decisions have been taken for administrative change including transfer of secretaries and the chief secretary, the present team of top police officials will continue.

Mr Haider often avoids answering newsmen's questions asking whether it is true that one police officer given out of turn promotion is more powerful than him. "You know who gave the promotions, why you are asking me, I am a firm believer of merit," the governor once told journalists during a reception at Governor House.

One case in which Mr Haider was by-passed was the kidnapping attempt of Ms Humaria from Edhi Home a month back by the Punjabi police. An inquiry ordered by the governor revealed that the said police officer in Sindh had given his consent.

The governor was also unaware of the police action at the residence of BBC correspondent Idrees Bakhtiar . An inquiry showed it was a deliberate attempt move to harass the journalist but the governor was told not to take action against police party as the police may become demoralised.

Yesterday was another surprised for journalists when the governor expressed his ignorance over the registration of sedition cases against three newspapers for publishing advertisements of the Khidmat-i-Khalq Committee of Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

On Monday, the Federal Information Minister, Mushahid Hussain, stated that he did not think that publishing an advertisement of any party amounts to sedition but said he would ask the governor to consider withdrawal of the cases.

Sources said to the utter surprise of Mushahid, the governor said the police or home department had neither sought his permission for registration of cases against newspapers nor had he seen any such sum mary.

The police said they had sent the summary to the law department and registered a case after seeking their opinion. The sources also indicate that the initial orders for registration of cases against Jang, AMN and Parcham came from a powerful man in Islamabad.

The sources further said that the governor has in the past expressed his anger with the prime minister and others over the attitude of some police officers who he believed considered themselves more powerful than the governor.