The Pakistani Spectator

Two officials of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) were suspended on Sunday on the allegation of intercepting a superintendent of police (SP), currently posted in the Prime Minister’s House, on a traffic violation.

The SP refused to accept the fine ticket and left the place threatening the cops of dire consequences and even pressurised the top police officers to suspend the ‘accused cops’.

SSP (Traffic) Dr. Moeen Masood ordered an inquiry to ascertain the facts, sources in police said.

Dr. Moeen Masood, when contacted by ‘The News,’ said that the ITP personnel were not suspended on the charges of issuing a ticket to the SP, but because of their misbehaviour with the officer. He said that the inquiry has been marked to the SP (Traffic).

It is worth mentioning here that the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), after its establishment in January 2006, had challened hundreds of VIPs, including military and police officers, parliamentarians, ministers, diplomats and other dignitaries and they never hesitated in receiving the fine tickets. However the SP of the Prime Minister’s House straightaway refused to abide by the law, giving the wrong message to the set system.

The ITP personnel even challaned Musa Gilani, the son of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, at the Radio Pakistan Chowk last year on a traffic violation and he had accepted the fine ticket.

Police sources said that SP (PM House) Syed Muntezar Mehdi violated the red signal on Islamabad Expressway near Shaheen Chowk. The ITP officials — Sub-Inspector Ghawas Khan and Head Constable Muhammad Arshad — intercepted the SP and issued a fine ticket to him, but he refused to receive the ticket.

The SP threatened that he would lodge a complaint with the prime minister and interior minister if the personnel involved in ‘humiliating’ him were not punished properly.

SP (PM House) Syed Muntezar Mehdi did not respond despite repeated attempts on his mobile phone (0322-5121400) by ‘The News’.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Syed Kaleem Imam, when contacted for his comments, said that he would not allow any police officer to set any wrong precedent. He said that he would hold a high-level inquiry against the SP who misused his authority and refused to abide by the law.

“The SP would be punished severely if found guilty,” the IGP said, adding that he would depute the DIG to probe into the matter. “We are here to enforce the law and believe in its equal application,” he added.

The News