Relieving of Sindh IGP Iqbal Mehmood: SHC seeks arguments on petition's maintainability

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the counsel for the petitioner to satisfy it with regard to maintainability of a petition filed against the Sindh government's decision to surrender the services of Sindh IGP Iqbal Mehmood to the federal government.
A division bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar gave this direction while hearing a petition filed by Rana Faizul Hassan, who represented a non-government organisation (NGO), United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The petitioner submitted the Sindh government has relieved Iqbal Mehmood of his duty as IGP of Sindh despite his appointment three months back.
He said despite directions of the apex court against frequent postings and transfers of top officials in the Sindh police department, provincial police chief Iqbal Mehmood was transferred and his services were surrendered to the Centre. He said the removal of Mehmood was a politically motivated move as he did not succumb to the influence of certain influential persons. He said the Sindh government had requested the Centre for appointment of Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari as IGP of Sindh, who would serve interests of the political bigwigs. The petitioner submitted the law and order situation in Karachi was improving because of targeted operations jointly launched by rangers and police. With the removal of Mehmood, the law and order situation of the Karachi city would be badly affected.