Punjab DPOs Removed Over Poor Performance
The Punjab government removed two Punjab DPOs from their positions over poor performance and reshuffled three BPS-21 officers. Inspector General of Police Punjab Abdul Kareem issued the notification on Monday, acting on a performance review chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz two weeks earlier.
The two officers removed were Chakwal DPO Kashif Zulfiqar and Bhakkar DPO Shahzad Rafique Awan. Zulfiqar was directed to report to the Central Police Office for further orders, while Rafique was posted as SP Security Special Branch, Lahore. Both officers have been replaced by Muhammad Asim and Shahid Ahmad Khan, respectively.
Punjab DPOs marked low in CM review
The two DPOs were marked as low performers in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz held two weeks back, where she had expressed displeasure at 15 DPOs and four RPOs. That meeting set the tone for the latest action. Officers who fell short were warned, and the two removals now show that the warning carried weight.
An official privy to the development said the police chief had issued instructions that DPOs given a grace period to improve crime against women and children would have to meet their targets to prevent transfers in two weeks or so. The police chief had said he would review DPOs’ performance every week to decide their future. Another review meeting was expected in days to come, the official added.
The focus on crime against women and children turns a general review into a test on specific outcomes. Districts where such cases are handled slowly will show up quickly in a weekly review.
Three senior officers reshuffled
In a separate move, the Punjab government transferred Additional IG South Punjab Kamran Khan and posted him as Additional IG Punjab Highways Patrol against a vacancy. He was replaced by BPS-21 officer Shahzada Sultan, who was earlier serving as Additional IG Investigation Punjab.
Additional IG Khurram Ali Shah, who was awaiting posting, has been posted as Additional IG Investigation. An official said this individual transfer was interesting, as Khurram had earlier served as DG of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency. The federal government had transferred him from that post and posted him as DG Police Bureau. However, he did not join the new posting because he was exploring some other assignments. The IGP offered him a position in Punjab, the official said.
The official added that Additional IG South Punjab Kamran Khan had served for three years and was willing to take any other assignment. Consequently, the government decided to replace him with Shahzada Sultan to facilitate Khurram Ali Shah’s posting as Additional IG Investigation Punjab.
What the transfers signal for Punjab policing
Transfers are a routine tool in Punjab’s police system, but removals tied to a named review carry a stronger message. Fifteen DPOs and four RPOs drew the chief minister’s displeasure in the same meeting. Only two DPOs have been removed so far, which suggests that the rest remain on watch, with the next weekly review deciding their fate.
The stakes for the public are direct. District police officers control thana-level policing, investigation and public order, so a change at the top can change how quickly a complaint is registered and how officers treat complainants, especially women and children seeking protection.
The wider Punjab administration is under the same pressure to show results. Maryam Nawaz invited French investment in Punjab, pitching the province on better governance. Clean streets are part of that pitch too, as the probe into alleged Suthra Punjab irregularities showed.
Police performance also touches public safety on the roads. 464 people died in Punjab road crashes in October, a toll that depends in part on traffic enforcement by district police. And police conduct itself is under scrutiny, as flour millers threatened a strike over an alleged assault by police personnel in Taxila.
What happens next
The next weekly review will be the real test. If more DPOs are moved, the message will be that the grace period has ended. If no further action follows, officers may read the two removals as a one-off warning. Either way, residents in Chakwal and Bhakkar will watch their new DPOs closely, and victims of crime against women and children will be the first to feel any change.
The reshuffle at the Additional IG level also needs watching. Khurram Ali Shah’s move into Investigation Punjab puts a former cybercrime chief in charge of a sensitive portfolio. His record there will be judged on case disposal and on whether investigations hold up in court.
For now, the facts are plain. Two district police chiefs lost their posts over performance, three senior officers moved, and a weekly review cycle now governs their future. Punjab’s police leadership has been told, in public terms, that results decide postings.
Frequently asked questions
Which Punjab DPOs were removed?
Chakwal DPO Kashif Zulfiqar and Bhakkar DPO Shahzad Rafique Awan were removed over poor performance. Zulfiqar was directed to report to the Central Police Office, while Rafique was posted as SP Security Special Branch, Lahore.
Who replaced them?
Muhammad Asim replaced the Chakwal DPO and Shahid Ahmad Khan replaced the Bhakkar DPO, according to the notification issued by the Punjab police chief.
Why were they removed?
Both were marked as low performers in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz two weeks earlier, where she expressed displeasure at 15 DPOs and four RPOs. Officers were given a grace period to improve crime against women and children.
Which senior officers were reshuffled?
Additional IG South Punjab Kamran Khan moved to Punjab Highways Patrol, Shahzada Sultan became Additional IG South Punjab, and Khurram Ali Shah, awaiting posting, became Additional IG Investigation.
What happens at the next review?
The police chief said he would review DPOs’ performance every week, with another review meeting expected in days, to decide the future of officers still on watch.
