Inquiry panel likely to point the finger at IGP, spare SSP
The inquiry committee constituted to probe the Blue Area fiasco has been tasked with removing the highly-reputed Inspector General of Police (IGP) and to spare the SSP Operations, well-placed sources told The News.
The IGP Islamabad, who is not liked by the top bureaucracy of Lahore for his honesty, will be made a scapegoat to protect the SSP because he is in the good books of Lahore bureaucrats, the sources added.
An influential politician from Lahore is also influencing the committee to save the controversial SSP, the sources maintained.Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry was sent the following question: “Your version is required on the composition of a three-member inquiry committee constituted for the investigation of 15th August incident that is being influenced by Lahore based bureaucracy to clear SSP and declare IGP guilty and secondly two members of the committee are junior to IGP who is being investigated”.
The secretary did not respond; however, sources close to the secretary maintain that the government will ensure the impartiality of the probe at all costs. On the other hand, the quarters concerned of Islamabad police have raised serious concerns about the composition of inquiry committee, which is virtually influenced by the Lahore-based top bureaucracy and politicians.
“Two among three members of the committee are not eligible to be part of the committee, as they are junior (17th Common) to the IGP who is of 15th Common with seniority,” the sources said.
All the three members of the committee are unaware of the issues of law and order, having no knowledge about practical police work (PPW) in their carrier, the sources said, adding that the committee had no skill in practical field of investigation.
However, the interior secretary in his report ignored the key point as to why the Inspector General Police of Islamabad’s formal request for immediate provision of trained army or Punjab Rangers snipers was not honored.
“Islamabad police were ill-prepared to handle such a situation. Equipment, training and logistic support was amiss.” The report further holds the Islamabad police responsible for failing to handle the crowd on the crime scene besides letting the accused to get into the federal capital with two sophisticated guns.
“Why the authorities didn’t include any members in the controversial committee relating to police department,” the police officer questioned, adding that there were many serving and retired officers like Shoaib Suddle, Afzal Shigri and Nasir Khan Durrani who had enough knowledge about the Islamabad police system and the psyche of police officers and had complete authority on investigation and they never succumbed to any political or other pressure during the course of inquiry.
“The SSP Operations will be cleared by the influenced inquiry committee and the IGP will be declared guilty, if the interior minister didn’t interfere,” the sources predicted.
On the other hand, the Islamabad police have more than enough skill to deal with such incidents but the SSP Operations was probably unaware of the skill of the Anti Riot Unit (ARU) and Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS), the sources said and added that the Islamabad police had strength of over 100 commandos qualified from international forums who had met the criteria of “Hostage Management Training and VVIP Protection Course” but the operational police chief didn’t bother to use such force and wasted the time in ‘negotiations’ with the gunman who had ransacked the security of the federal capital.
“A team of shooters under the supervision of Sub Inspector Akram Hussain have shown their skill to shoot a glass of water placed on the head of a person from a distance of 50 meters,” the officer told The News.
Inquiry panel likely to point the finger at IGP, spare SSP - thenews.com.pk
Hamza Shahbaz and Dr Tauqir Shah (PS to CM) influencing Committee probing Sikender episode to oust honest IG
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