Won’t let you go: CM Punjab assures CCPO Lahore despite orders for removal

Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi met with Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ghulam Mehmood Dogar and assured him that the Punjab government won’t let him go amid an unusual tug of war with the federal government.

During the meeting, the Punjab CM hugged CCPO, and said, “Well done, we won’t let you go.” His son, former Federal Minister Moonis Elahi was also present.

Read more: SC bars authorities from transfers, appointments in criminal cases

Chief Minister Parvez Elahi ordered CCPO Lahore to perform his duties as usual. All police officers in Punjab are performing their duties as per merit, the CM said. He added that no officer would be transferred on anyone’s liking or disliking.

Well done!!! pic.twitter.com/tw0D5uLf8Q

— Moonis Elahi (@MoonisElahi6) September 21, 2022

Tug of war over CCPO Lahore

The Punjab government and Federal government has locked horns over the removal of CCPO Lahore. Earlier, the federal government removed Ghulam Mahmood Dogar from the post of Capital City Police Officer Lahore. A notification for the removal of the CCPO Lahore was also issued directing the 21-grade officer to report to the Establishment Division.

However, soon after his removal, Punjab interior minister Colonel (retd) Hashim Dogar penned on Twitter that “Ghulam Mehmood Dogar will continue to perform his duties until the further order of the Punjab government, and he will not report to the establishment.”

گورنمنٹ آف پنجاب کے اگلے حکم تک ایڈیشنل آی جی غلام محمود ڈوگر سی سی پی او لاہور کے فرائض انجام دیتے رہیں گے اور اسٹیبلشمنٹ میں رپورٹ نہیں کریں گے

— Hashim Dogar (@ColhashimDogar) September 20, 2022

Furthermore, Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi strongly reacted to the de­velopment accusing the PML-N-led government of indulging in revengeful actions. He termed the transfer of Ghulam Mehmood Dogar as ‘‘political victimisation’’.

Ch Parvez Elahi also said that the federal government had no powers to transfer the CCPO Lahore. “It is my power to trans­fer the CCPO”, he said in a state­ment.

To clarify, the Lahore police chief or­dered registration of terrorism cases against two federal min­isters, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Javed Latif for allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against PTI chief and former prime minister Imran Khan.

Read more: Terror charges lodged against Javed Latif, Marriyum Aurangzeb