SITUAIONER TARIQ SAEED
The Inspector General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Moazam Jah Ansari appears to have been made an escape goat in the back drop of deadly Peshawar Police Lines blast and the conspiracy theories overwhelming the Social Media.
The Federal government Thursday removed him from his post and has been asked to report to the Establishment Division. Akhtar Hayat – a BPS 21 officer has been appointed as the new IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police.
In fact the IGP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa looked vulnerable following the deadly attack when a powerful suicide explosion ripping through a mosque in a “highly secured” Police lines on January 30 last had afternoon left around 100 people martyred and 200 others seriously injured. A majority of those killed and wounded were the cops with few officers. His position further got weakened following the conspiracy theories making round in the strong Social Media and unrest among his force.
While the Police authorities as well as the top government functionaries admitting there was a serious security laps leading to the deadly blast, the members of IG Police own force started questioning the happening of the blast with cops taking out demos in many cities including Peshawar and Mardan saying they sense rat in the blast that may be an attempt on part of the some forces to achieve a certain target.
The Provincial Police Chief sounded perturbed, in a press conference two days after the blast, over an unprecedented protest by the police personnel in Peshawar Mardan and other cities saying “We bring justice to others, so how can we surrender our soldiers to these terrorists? “We are not disrespectful; these cops are brave. We have not spared the killer of any martyr”.
In an attempt to pacify the situation, though IG Ansari admitted with open heart there was a serious security laps lading to tragic Peshawar blast that ate up over 100 people yet dispelled the impression the elements within the force facilitated the suicide bomber. He had also brushed aside the conspiracy theories saying the militant who attacked Peshawar mosque, was in a police uniform adding there was a complete network behind him.
At the same times, the IG P in an unsuccessful attempt asked the people including officers of his forces to refrain from the speculations that might lead to creating rift between the forces. “I appeal to the people not to provoke my force. I alsorequested the police officers to not fall prey to the conspiracy theories related to the attack”. Ansari had said. Yet his clarification didn’t work. A senior Cop confided to this scribe.
Earlier on Feb 7, the outgoing IGP had said that terrorism in by-polls on the National Assembly (NA) seats cannot be ruled out. The IG KP Moazzam Jah Ansari had expressed the fear of terrorist attacks during the upcoming by-polls in the province. He apprised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) about the suspicions of terrorism during the by-polls. IG had also said the police department was facing a shortage of 57,000 cops for security duties during by-elections.
Whatever may be the reason behind the removal of the Inspector General Police, the un-ceremonial exit of Moazam Jah Ansari was not welcomed by the people in general and the senior cops in particular, at a time when the Election commission has already banned posting & transfers. “There is a great unrest among the Police hierarchy the way things are going on; they are being made the escape goat”. A senior most officer told Observer.
