Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Faisal Shahkar Wednesday did not attend Punjab Cabinet Committee’s meeting on law and order aggravating the ongoing rift between the federal and provincial governments, reported 24NewsHD TV channel reported.  

A meeting of the Punjab Cabinet Committee on law and order was held here at civil secretariat under the chairmanship of Chairman Committee Raja Basharat. Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister on Home Affairs Umar Sarfraz Cheema, Punjab Chief Secretary Abdullah Khan Sambal, and other officers were present in the meeting. Raja Basharat participated in the meeting from Rawalpindi via video link. 

His absence in provincial cabinet meetings expressed that he had distanced himself from the Punjab IGP slot.  

Earlier, the Punjab government had asked the federal government to withdraw the services of IGP Faisal Shahkar, expressing its displeasure over the mishandling of the Wazirabad incident. 

In response, Faisal Shahkar decided to step down as IGP Punjab on November 6, and wrote a letter to the federal government about his non-continuation of service.

IGP Shahkar had annoyed the PTI and Punjab government for not registering an FIR against those persons who were nominated by PTI in the Wazirabad incident, which ultimately led to the rifts between the IG, the Punjab government, and the PTI.

However, turning the down the request of Punjab, the federal government refused to withdraw the services of Faisal Shahkar. The center also directed him to continue working as Punjab’s IGP.