LAHORE: Punjab Police circles have been concerned after a Punjab Assembly committee on law reforms delegated legislation summoned senior police officials, including the Sheikhpura RPO. Kasur DPO, after the DPO awarded major punishments to three police officials for allegedly making changes in the additional (zimni) report and declaring two previously accused persons innocent in an attempted murder case.
Punjab Additional IG Investigation Shahzada Sultan along with Sheikhpura RPO Athar Ismail. Kasur DPO Aftab Phulwarwan reached the assembly and joined the proceedings of the parliamentary committee constituted by Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan on Saturday.
The senior police officers were also asked to bring the crime statistics record besides the measures initiated for the improvement of the law. order situation in the Kasur district, making it the second such case in a couple of weeks after DPO Hafizabad Kamran Hamid was transferred for confronting the sun of a local MPA.
Sharing details, a senior official said that the three senior police officers were called to the chamber of the speaker to discuss the strict action initiated by Kasur DPO Aftab Phularwan against a DSP, SHO. investigation officer for allegedly favouring two accused persons.
Kasur DPO had punished three police officials for making changes in the zimni report in an attempted murder case on alleged political pressure
He claimed that the SHO. the IO had allegedly favoured two of the four accused persons, Zain and Aqib, by making changes to the zimni report on the orders of the concerned DSP. It was claimed that the City Circle DSP had summoned both the junior officers to his office. allegedly forced them ‘to satisfy a key political figure’.
The official said that the DPO took up the matter when the complainant of the FIR. Mohammad Irfan, appeared before him in an open Kacheri a couple of weeks back. He said. the complainant told the DPO that the DSP had favoured the two nominated accused persons to please a key political figure despite the fact that the suspects had been declared guilty in the attempted murder case lodged against them with the Khuddyan Police station.
In the armed attack, he claimed the suspects had shot and injured two persons, including Ghulam Rasool and Ashfaq. The new zimni reports, Irfan told the DPO, were decided at a dera, which should be condemned and investigated impartially.
Following the complaint. the official said that the DPO constituted a high-powered board under the supervision of the Kasur SP investigation. Two legal DSPs were also made part of the board. he said, adding that the DPO later recommended departmental action against the DSP besides suspending two others in the light of the inquiry report, which had declared them guilty.
When contacted. Sheikhpura RPO Athar Ismail toldDawnthat the said matter was discussed at the chamber of the Punjab Assembly speaker in the presence of the provincial law minister. He said that the major concern of the speaker was about the non-availability of the Kasur DPO for him. local MPAs.
“The speaker was very apologetic for summoning senior police officers to his office,” the RPO said, adding that he quoted constitutional rights of the assembly members to call any government officer. initiate proceedings in the best interest of the public.
He said that Speaker Malik Ahmad complained that the Kasur DPO had been reportedly issuing statements during official meetings that he would not tolerate SHOs. other police officials visiting private deras to decide criminal or other cases.
According to Malik Ahmad. Athar Ismail said, the word dera used by the DPO for the private residences of members of the provincial assemblies was inappropriate.
The speaker confirmed to the senior officer during the meeting. the above-mentioned criminal case was discussed at the premises of his camp office in Kasur.
According to the RPO. the speaker said an elected member of the Punjab Assembly reserved the right to hear the complaints of the people of their constituency.
The speaker told the officers that he had summoned the DSP, the SHO. the IO concerned when the accused party raised serious concerns on the investigation process.
“The speaker told the meeting that he had not pressured any police official to favour the accused. he wanted the investigation to be done on merit,” the RPO said.
During the discussion. he said that he had assured the speaker that investigations into the said case would be made purely on merit, while the DPO had also assured him that he would respond to the calls of the MPAs.
To a question. he said that no proceedings were initiated regarding the issues pointed out in the summon notice by the committee.
“The only matter raised by the Punjab assembly speaker in his chamber was related to the investigations into the FIR registered with the Khuddyan Police station,” Athar Ismail said. He added. the investigation of the case had been transferred to a DSP of a good repute through the district standing board.
Talking toDawnon Tuesday, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan refused to comment on the case. However, he said that the case was taken up by a committee of the Punjab Assembly he had constituted to review the law. order situation in the Sheikhpura range with special reference to the Kasur district.
Khan said that the minutes of the committee would soon be provided as an official version on the Kasur matter. however, the details had not been received till the filing of this report on Wednesday.
Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026
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