LAHORE: Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, the chief of Lahore police at the centre of a feud between the federal and provincial governments, approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) against his suspension as Capital City Police Officer (CCPO).
The development came a day after the Establishment Division suspended Dogar apparently for failing to ensure the security of the Governor House in the provincial metropolis during a series of protests that ensued following the gun attack on former prime minister Imran Khan last week.
In his plea, Dogar said the federal government was targeting him over the registration of terrorism cases against two ministers in Lahore’s Green Town police station.
He noted that before issuing the notification, he was never given a reason by the Establishment Division for the notice.
Dogar has maintained the chief minister of Punjab reserves the final authority to remove a CCPO, informing the court the provincial government has asked him to continue working.
He has also contended that by issuing his transfer order, the federal government has attacked provincial autonomy ensured under the 18th amendment to the Constitution.
“The notification for suspension and transfer of federal government should be declared illegal and cancelled,” he said, and urged the court to issue a stay order till a final decision is made on his plea.
Dogar has nominated the federal government, the secretary of the Establishment Division, and the Punjab government as the respondents in the case.
Removed as chief of Lahore police in 2021 over charges of misuse of authority and inefficiency amid a violent protest by far-right Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Dogar was reappointed to the office for a second time in July by the government of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.
