Punjab government removes two DPOs over poor performance amid major police reshuffle

LAHORE - The Punjab government has removed two District Police Officers (DPOs) from their positions due to poor performance, according to a notification issued by Inspector General of Police Punjab Abdul Kareem on Monday. The two DPOs, Chakwal DPO Kashif Zulfiqar and Bhakkar DPO Shahzad Rafique Awan, were directed to report to the Central Police Office (CPO) and the Security Special Branch Lahore, respectively. They have been replaced by Muhammad Asim and Shahid Ahmad Khan.

In a related move, the government transferred Additional IG South Punjab Kamran Khan to Punjab Highways Patrol (PHP) to fill a vacancy. He was replaced by BPS-21 officer Shahzada Sultan, who was previously serving as Additional IG Investigation Punjab. Another official, Additional IG Khurram Ali Shah, awaiting posting, has been assigned the role of Additional IG Investigation Punjab.

This transfer is particularly noteworthy as Mr. Khurram had previously served as the Director General of National Counter Intelligence and Intelligence Agency (NCCIA), but opted not to take up the new posting due to his interest in other assignments. He was, however, offered a position by the IGP.

The decision to remove the two DPOs came after a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz two weeks ago, where she expressed dissatisfaction with 15 DPOs and 4 RPOs. The IGP has instructed the DPOs to meet specific targets related to crime against women and children within a two-week period to avoid further transfers. The Chief Police Officer also stated that he would review the DPOs' performance weekly and make decisions regarding their future. It is anticipated that another review meeting will take place in the coming days.