Fifth IGP Punjab assumes charge of his office during PTI’s tenure

LAHORE (92 News) – The newly-appointed fifth Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Shoaib Dastagir on Thursday assumed the charge of his office during the tenure of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Shoaib Dastagir was given a guard of honor at the CPO Office upon his arrival for assuming charge of the office. Speaking to the journalists, after taking charge, the IG Punjab said that no one is above than law. “Who does not accept the law, he has no right to work with us. The accountability of such officers and employees is essential,” he added. Referring to the police reform and transfer, he said that the officers who had forgotten the priorities would not be part of the department. Shoaib Dastagir said that the State of Madina’s journey cannot be travelled in a short span of time. “You can guess the time in considering the distance of Madina from here,” he said. It is noteworthy that Shoaib Dastagir is the fifth officer to be appointed the commander of Punjab Police during the last fifteen months. On Tuesday, the Punjab government had replaced the provincial police chief days after Prime Minister Imran Khan hinted at a major bureaucratic reshuffle in a meeting with Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. National Police Foundation (NPF) Managing Director Shoaib Dastaghir was appointed as the new Inspector General (IG) of the province replacing Amjad Javed Saleemi. According to a notification issued by the cabinet division on Tuesday, “Shoaib Dastaghir, a BS-21 officer of the Punjab Police who is currently serving as Managing Director of the NPF is transferred and posted as Provincial Police Officer (PPO), Government of Punjab, in his own pay and scale, with immediate notice and until further orders.” Shoaib Dastaghir had earlier served as IG of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and is considered a competent administrator and policeman. This is the fourth time the government changed the police chief of the province since it assumed power last year.