SC orders inquiry into alleged mistreatment of Maneka's daughter, political interference in Pakpattan transfer
Posted by NONE@NONE.COM (HASEEB BHATTI)
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered an inquiry into the mistreatment allegedly meted out to the daughter of Khawar Fareed Maneka by Punjab police personnel and interference in the matter of transfer of Pakpattan DPO Rizwan Gondal by political personalities.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had last week taken suo motu notice of the transfer of DPO Gondal, allegedly over an altercation with Maneka, ex-husband of First Lady Bushra Imran.
A three-member bench headed by the CJP today directed the Punjab inspector general to submit the inquiry report after investigating the matter from all aspects within a week.
In the first incident involving the Maneka family and police, some policemen had misbehaved with a female member of the family on August 5. She has now been identified as the daughter.
The CJP today remarked that the court is sorry over the mistreatment suffered by Maneka's daughter at the hands of police.
"The court apologises on behalf of the nation," Justice Nisar said, adding officials involved in the episode would be strictly punished.
The controversy had arisen when, according to Pakpattan police, DPO Gondal’s men tried to stop Maneka’s car as he was travelling towards Pir Ghani on the night of August 23. Maneka allegedly refused to stop on the policemen’s request and misbehaved with them. Subsequently, Maneka demanded that the DPO visit his dera to personally apologise to him.
But Gondal refused and was subsequently transferred. The Punjab police later clarified that the DPO was transferred for displaying conduct unbecoming of a police officer and misreporting facts.
At the outset of the hearing today, Punjab Inspector General Kaleem Imam informed the court that the orders to transfer DPO Gondal were issued verbally and one of the reasons behind the transfer was that the DPO had not taken a notice of the incident in which the female from the Maneka family was mistreated. He also claimed that he had not directed Gondal to visit the Chief Minister's Office.
More to follow.
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