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  • Jan 14th, 2016
  • Comments Off on Contempt charges: Supreme Court decides to indict Sindh IGP
The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday decided to indict Sindh Police Chief Ghulam Haider Jamali and Deputy Director Anti-Corruption Saifullah Phulpoto under contempt of court charges on February 02. A three-member bench led by Justice Amir Hani Muslim and comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Maqbool Baqir resumed the hearing of the matter.

The Chief Minister Sindh had recommended appointing Saifullah Phulpoto as Inspector in Sindh police, but later Phulpoto was sent on deputation to Anti-Corruption Division (ACD); however the apex court had issued directives for immediate repatriation of Phulpoto to his parent department. In pursuance of the court's orders, Phulpoto was sent back to the police department, but after a few months he was again transferred to ACD through a notification and promoted to Assistant Director and within a year, he was appointed as Deputy Director, ACD. Taking serious note of developments, the court summoned the Inspector General of Police Ghulam Haider Jamali and Chairman ACD Mumtaz Shah who tendered an unconditional apology. Rejecting the apology, the court ruled that contempt of court charges will be framed against both the officials on the next date of hearing.

During the course of hearing on Wednesday, Sindh Police Chief Jamali's counsel, Shahid Bajwa, requested for more time saying he was out of the country and needed time to prepare the case. Bajwa requested the court to accept his client's unconditional apology in the matter which the bench declined to accept. Sindh Police Chief Jamali failed to respond to the query as to the grounds on which Phulpoto was appointed in the Police department and then deputed to ACD. Justice Mushir Alam observed: "You are not eligible to continue as IGP".

Addressing the IGP Jamali, Justice Mushir Alam asked: "Would you like to follow the law or the Chief Minister's directives?" To which IGP Jamali submitted, "a mistake has been made". Justice Alam observed that the mistake was intentional, saying the court has to decide the matter in hand in accordance with the law and hinted at seeking a response from the Chief Minister Sindh, if required. Issuing directives to Ghulam Haider Jamali and Saifullah Phulpoto to remain present during the next hearing the court adjourned the case till February 02.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016


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