Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Monday tendered an unconditional apology in the Supreme Court in former District Police Officer (DPO) Pakpattan Rizwan Gondal’s transfer case following an alleged altercation with Khawar Maneka, a customs officer and the former husband of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra.
Buzdar arrived in the apex court after Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar ordered him to appear in the court.
The top judge asked Buzdar, “Are you using your powers to intervene in police affairs?”
The chief minister denied exerting any political pressure on police to transfer Gondal, adding that he had asked the regional police officer (RPO) to amicably resolve the issue.
Ahsan Jameel Gujjar, who is accused of approaching the chief minister for transferring the DPO, also appeared in the court and tendered an apology.
The top judge also ordered senior police officer Khalid Lak to conduct an investigation into the matter and submit a report within 15 days.
Earlier today, the SC rejected a report submitted by the former Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Syed Kaleem Imam pertaining to the case.
While hearing a suo motu case, a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar lashed out at IGP Imam, saying that he had written positive things in his report "in order to save one person", without specifying who that one person was.
"We reject your report," the top judge said, adding: "IGP sahab, you have proven your own officer to be a liar in your report."
"What kind of report is this? You have not investigated at all. You have sided with someone," the CJP said. "You did nothing to uphold the respect of the police in your report."
"You are not worthy of serving anywhere in this country," the CJP said. "We will summon the secretary establishment in this regard and he will tell us."
Imam replied: "My lord, I leave myself to the mercy of the court."
"We were hoping to get justice from you and you are asking us for forgiveness," the CJP responded.
The CJP asked the IGP if he had made the report himself, to which Imam responded in the affirmative. He explained that a committee had been set up to investigate the matter. He said that there were four individuals in the committee that night, including the Pakpattan DPO, Regional Police Officer, Hassan Jameel Gujjar, and Buzdar.
The CJP asked Imam what conversation had taken place between these individuals. "We are not concerned about other things," he said.
IGP Imam had submitted a report with regards to the Pakpattan DPO transfer case on Sept 12 in which he had said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar was only acting as a mediator and did not attempt to influence the police amidst the Pakpattan controversy that eventually led to the transfer of DPO Rizwan Gondal.
