'Shoulder promotion': Sindh police told to demote 879 police officers

The Supreme Court on Monday directed Sindh Police to demote 879 police officers to their previous ranks within a week, promoted on the pretext of 'shoulder promotion' without following merit. The court also asked Establishment Division to submit record of correspondence with IGPs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan in connection with filling top police officers' vacancies in both the provinces.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Ghulam Rabbani was hearing the suo motu case of the police 'shoulder promotions.' The bench had summoned four provincial and Federal Inspector General of Police (IGPs). Except IGP Sindh, other IGPs submitted that following the SC orders no case of shoulder promotion took place in their jurisdiction.
During course of hearing, IGP Sindh told the bench that a total of 879 police officials were given shoulder promotions upon which senior most judge, Justice Javed Iqbal said the situation is alarming in Sindh Police, adding that present suo motu notice was not taken to demoralise the police but to protect their rights.
IGP Islamabad told the bench that there was no policeman in the capital who was elevated under 'shoulder promotion' as well as there was no Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the capital. IGP Punjab submitted that there was no shoulder promotion case in the province because 47 Superintendents of Police as well as 33 Inspectors were demoted in pursuance of the apex court orders.
The bench was informed that a large number of police officials were avoiding to deliver in Balochistan due to existing situation in the province whereas, they prefer to continue serving in other provinces using links. The IGP Balochistan added that five police officers were appointed recently in the province.
KPK IGP told the bench that there was a dire need of senior police officials in the province because posts of grade 20 were lying vacant in the department, adding that he personally asked many officers to perform in the province but nobody was ready. However, he told the bench that no response from the federal government was also witnessed even after repeated requests to depute senior police officials in KPK. The court adjourned hearing till Tuesday (today).