Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Spokesperson of Punjab government Malik Ahmad Khan has challenged the transfer of ex-IG Punjab Shoaib Dastgir in the Lahore High Court (LHC), 24NewsHD TV channel reported Wednesday.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan will hear the case against the transfer of IG Punjab Shoaib Dastgir on Thursday (tomorrow).

Malik Ahmad Khan moved a writ petition in LHC challenging the decision of the federal government. The petition claimed ex-IGP Sohaib Dastgir was replaced in violation of the Punjab Police Ordinance 2002, which stipulates that the IG should be appointed for at least three years and not be transferred before completion of the tenure.

It is pertinent to note that cabinet’s establishment division on Tuesday appointed Inam Ghani, a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), as IG Punjab and notified him as Provincial Police Officer (PPO) under the Government of Punjab, in his own pay and scale with immediate effect and until further orders.

The police standoff between ex-IGP and CCPO Lahore Omar Sheik led to rare conflict within the police ranks and finally ousted the Sohaib Dastgir.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Prime Minister Imran Khan disliked the Sohaib Dastgir’s attitude for openly resisting the appointment of CCPO Lahore Omer Sheikh.

It may be highlighted here that purely administrative matter of transfers and posting has now become a political and judicial matter, in which, PTI arch rival PML-N has now become party of the matter in the LHC.