Six Faisalabad Police Dismissed Over Drugs in SHO’s Car
Faisalabad police dismissed six personnel, including a station house officer, after a driver constable was caught with five kilogrammes of hashish allegedly being transported in the officer’s private vehicle.
City Police Officer Tanveer Hussain ordered the dismissals after the recovery, saying there was no place in the department for personnel bringing it into disrepute. He stressed that those found involved in misconduct would face action.
The case has raised fresh questions about drug dealing inside the police force, and an inquiry is now under way to determine whether other officers were involved.
How the constable was caught
Police sources said driver constable Muhammad Kashif, posted at Gulberg police station, was arrested on Monday afternoon in Gulberg’s C Block.
He was allegedly using the private vehicle of SHO Rana Abdul Ghaffar, which reportedly had a blue beacon installed, to deliver narcotics.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Narcotics Control Force raided the area and recovered five kilogrammes of hashish from the vehicle. The constable, along with the vehicle, was taken to the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) office in Madina Town for further investigation.
The raid was reportedly supervised by the in-charge of the ANF Faisalabad Narcotics Control Department, who informed senior police officials about the recovery.
How the Faisalabad police dismissed the six
Taking notice of the incident, CPO Tanveer Hussain ordered the dismissal of constable Kashif, SHO Rana Abdul Ghaffar, Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ali, Assistant Sub-Inspector Sohail, station clerk Tarseem and constable Mehboob.
The CPO also appointed SSP Operations Imran Ahmed Malik as the inquiry officer and directed him to conduct a detailed investigation into the alleged involvement of other police officials and personnel.
SP Iqbal Town Saeed Ahmed and SP Lyallpur Town Abid Zafar were also directed to assist in the investigation. They were asked to determine whether any other police officers or personnel were involved.
A second case under the scanner
Meanwhile, preliminary findings have reportedly pointed to another alleged case of drug-related irregularities about six weeks ago.
According to police sources, a traffic warden had seized narcotics from a rickshaw near the residence of Nisar Akbar, but the quantity mentioned in the subsequent case was allegedly lower than the amount recovered.
Some of the seized drugs were allegedly misappropriated by police personnel, with a portion reportedly sold to drug dealers.
The inquiry will now look at whether the two cases are connected and whether a wider network operated inside the force.
Why this case matters
The case matters because it involves the very officers meant to enforce drug laws. A station house officer’s private vehicle, fitted with a blue beacon, allegedly carried narcotics through the city. That detail has drawn attention well beyond Faisalabad.
Faisalabad has seen other cases of police misconduct in recent days. Maryam Nawaz warned attackers in the Faisalabad salesgirl assault case, after a shop worker was attacked in the city. The two cases are separate, but together they show the pressure on the city’s police leadership.
Police accountability has also been in focus elsewhere. A constable was martyred and three abducted in an attack on a Hangu police post, while a Karachi police inspector was shot dead in Gulshan-e-Hadeed. Those were attacks on police, but this case is different: it is about alleged crime by police themselves.
What happens next
The inquiry led by SSP Operations Imran Ahmed Malik will determine whether other officers were involved. The six dismissed personnel face further proceedings, and the ANF investigation into the recovered hashish continues.
The CPO’s swift dismissals send a message, but the inquiry’s findings will show whether the problem runs deeper than one constable and one vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
Who was dismissed in Faisalabad?
Six police personnel were dismissed: driver constable Muhammad Kashif, Gulberg SHO Rana Abdul Ghaffar, Sub-Inspector Muhammad Ali, Assistant Sub-Inspector Sohail, station clerk Tarseem and constable Mehboob.
What was recovered?
Five kilogrammes of hashish were recovered from the SHO’s private vehicle, which reportedly had a blue beacon fitted.
Who is conducting the inquiry?
SSP Operations Imran Ahmed Malik is the inquiry officer. SP Iqbal Town Saeed Ahmed and SP Lyallpur Town Abid Zafar will assist him.
Was there an earlier case?
Preliminary findings point to another alleged case about six weeks ago, in which narcotics seized from a rickshaw were allegedly under-reported and some drugs were allegedly sold to dealers.
What did the CPO say?
CPO Tanveer Hussain said there was no place in the department for personnel bringing it into disrepute and stressed that those found involved in misconduct would face action.
