Gilgit Baltistan [PoK], March 16 : In a bizarre turn of events, the Pakist government on Wednesday transferred Gilgit-Baltistan Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammad Saeed from his post on the allegations that the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) police personnel stood against Punjab police while they attempted to arrest PTI chief Imran Khan from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore, Dawn reported.
The GB police chief's swift removal came as a surprise, especially after the Punjab police chief denied that any such confrontation had taken place.
According to the notification issued by the Establishment Division, "Muhammad Saeed, a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, presently posted as Inspector General Gilgit-Baltistan, is transferred and directed to report to the Establishment Division".
Another notification said, "Ali Khan Khattak, a BS-20 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan presently working under the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is transferred and posted as Inspector General Gilgit-Baltistan, under section 10 of Civil Service Act, 1973."
Earlier in the day, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had claimed that a "Gilgit-Baltistan force" was being used to attack Punjab police "who are trying to implement court orders to detain Imran Khan", Dawn reported.
Responding to PTI allegations that law enforcement personnel were firing on Imran Khan's supporters gathered at Zaman Park, she said the law enforcement officials deployed there were unarmed.
Waving a copy of the warrant issued against Imran, she claimed that at least 65 policemen were injured while attempting to implement the court orders.
However, when Dawn attempted to verify the Centre's claim regarding the confrontation between police personnel from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan, the provincial police chief termed these reports "baseless".
Talking to Dawn, Punjab IGP Usman Anwar said no clash or confrontation occurred with GB police anywhere in Zaman Park, adding that GB policemen had not pointed their guns at Lahore police personnel.
"When Lahore police were engaged for the purpose, the GB police had gone (back)," the IGP said.
In a farewell message to his force, the outgoing GB police chief said that during his two-year tenure, he had tried to discharge his responsibilities to the best of his abilities, to solve the problems of Gilgit-Baltistan police and make necessary reforms.
Wazir said that if there had been any deficiency at the administrative level, "then I apologise for it."
Addressing a press conference, GB information minister Fatehullah Khan and finance minister Javed Ali Manwa rejected the allegations levelled by the government that GB police were deployed at Zaman Park to protect Imran Khan.
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