Punjab cops in a bind over transfer to ‘hard areas’

The term ‘hard areas’ refers to designated regions in the country that are recognised for being challenging to live or work in due to factors like rem­oteness, lack of infrastructure, harsh terrain, or security thr­eats. Officers posted to these areas are usually given incentives, such as a special allowance.

According to documents regarding officers’ nominations for transfer and the 2020 rotation policy, officers from the 48th common batch were transferred to these two provinces in light of the PM’s order, the officer said.

In line with this policy, this time around, it was expected that officers from the 49th common would be called up to fill the ASP posts, following the completion of the one-year mandatory period.

However, the officers now nominated for these postings include those who were encadered from the provincial service to the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) in 2020 and 2021, and have three to five years of service left.

Separate notifications issued by the Establishment Division stated that BS-18 officers nominated for the postings in Balochistan include Imran Razaq, Tahir Mustafa, Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, Naeem Shahid, and Javed Ahmad Khan, whereas Arshad Zahid, Khalid Mehmood Afzal, Irfan Amir, Jalil Imran Khan, and Taimoor Khan are being considered for the KP postings.

The transfer list shared by the Establishment Division with Punjab also contains the names of four officers, currently enrolled in the pre-promotion ‘Mid-Career Training Course’, which will be completed on June 5. These include Javed Ahmad Khan, Rana Arshad Zahid, Imtiaz Ahmad Khan, and Khalid Mehmood Afzal.

“Mr Arshad Zahid, a BS-18 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, presently posted under the government of the Punjab, is transferred and his services are placed at the disposal of government of Khyber Pakht­unkhwa, with immediate effect,” reads one of the notifications issued by the Establishment Division.

The notification says that the officers in question will be relieved by the Punjab government immediately, so they may join the KP government.

“The officer will serve in the province for an active period of 365 days excluding all types of leaves, training and deputation etc and upon completion of 365 days’ active service in government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and will stand relieved for joining government of the Punjab,” the notification says.

When contacted, Punjab police chief Rao Abdul Kareem confirmed that his department had received the names of police officers, who were recently encadred to the federal service (PSP) and nominated for the hard areas of KP and Balochistan, from the Establishment Division. He said the matter was discussed at his office, where the officers in question raised serious concerns about their transfer.

“My department is taking up the matter with the Establishment Division in light of the rotation policy and the serious concerns expressed by the police officers nominated for posting to the hard areas,” the IGP said. ‘Seasoned’ officers unwilling

An officer, whose name is in the transfer list under the rotation policy, claimed these transfers were made under the 2020 rotation policy, which clearly stated that it would apply to those officers who would join the service through CSS after 2020.

Seeking anonymity, he said that Section 11 of the rotation policy 2020 stated, “Policy provisions regarding posting of the officers, this section of the policy, shall apply to batches who are inducted in PAS/PSP through CSS examination held in the year 2020 and onwards”.

According to the officer, the decision, particularly, puts those officers who have joined the promotion course in a bind; as both orders, regarding the promotion course and postings to hard areas, have come from the Establishment Division.

The officer said the transfer order created a “tricky situation” for the recently encadered ‘seasoned officers’, as it ignored the fact that a majority of them were near retirement, with only a few years of service left.

He further claimed many police officers nominated for Balochistan and KP faced various medical issues, which rendered them “almost unable” to take up assignments in the restive provinces. The order was also in contrast to the PM’s announcement in 2024, which said young officers (from 49th common) would be deputed, he added.

“Presently, this policy stands suspended at the request of the provinces,” he said, adding that the transfer of officers to the hard areas of Balochistan and KP followed the policy decision recently announced by the federal government.

He said that after induction from provincial service to the PSPs, the officers would be called ‘federal employees’ and may be transferred to any province as per the policy decision.

Mr Awan rejected the allegations of ‘pick and choose’ and described the transfers as a ‘stopgap arrangement’ for a period of one year. He said the officers would have to follow the orders in letter and spirit as employees of the federal government.