ISLAMABAD : The Top Court on Friday summoned former husband of the first lady, Bushra Bibi, Khawar Maneka on September 3 (Monday), in the transfer of Pakpattan District Police Officer Rizwan Gondal.
The bench earlier ordered Khawar Maneka and Ahsan Jameel to appear before 3pm today. However, later it asked them to appear before it on Monday instead.
As the hearing went underway, Justice Nisar asked, “What is this case? For the past five days, the whole nation has been discussing it.”
“I keep repeating this, we want an independent police force,” he remarked.
Justice Nisar continued, “If the transfer was made on the request of the chief minister or the person sitting next to him then this is not right.”
The CJP also inquired where Jameel Gujjar and Khawar Maneka were.
“Why was the DPO asked to visit Maneka’s house to apologise and why was he transferred at 1am?” Justice Nisar asked.
Further, Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked, “We will not tolerate political interference or influence.”
To this, the CJP added, “We will see how transfers are made through exerting pressure.”
During the hearing, Pakpattan DPO said he sent a WhatsApp message to IG Punjab detailing the events of the incident. On the day of the incident I received a phone call instructing me to reach CM House by 10 pm, he was quoted as saying.
When I reached there, the Punjab CM introduced Ahsan Jameel as his brother, the DPO was further quoted as saying.
Ahsan Jameel asked me about the Maneka family and said there seems to be a conspiracy against them, Gondal further said and added at 12:30am the RPO was informed about his transfer.
The hearing of the case has been adjourned till September 3 (Monday).
The inquiry report has also been forwarded to IG Punjab. According to the report, Gondal was responsible for not conducting an inquiry against officers who misbehaved with Bushra Bibi’s ex-husband Khawar Maneka.
Further, the report stated that the DPO ‘twisted’ the matter and shared it on social media.
Earlier on August 30, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice of the transfer of DPO Pakpattan reportedly on the orders of Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar after a row with Khawar Maneka, former husband of the first lady.
The SC has summoned Pakpattan DPO Rizwan Umar Gondal, Inspector General Punjab Police Kaleem Imam, and the Regional Police Officer in the personal capacity.
Earlier on August 28, Punjab Information Minister Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chohan said that there was no role of Punjab Chief Minister and Prime Minister Imran Khan in the transfer of D.P.O Pakpattan.
Addressing a presser here in the provincial capital, Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chohan termed transfer and suspension of Pakpattan District Police Officer Rizwan Gondal an ‘internal affair of the police department’.
The district police officer D.P.O was reportedly transferred after he intercepted Khawar Maneka, former husband of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, for speeding.
“There were complaints against the D.P.O from quite a long time. The matter which is police’s internal matter has been resolved,” he said. “Punjab Inspector General is investigating the matter.”
Dispelling news, Chohan held the stance Gondal’s transfer and suspension had nothing to do with Bani Gala [Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence].
“Inspector General of Punjab Police initiated the inquiry after complaints against DPO continued to pour in. A probe has been initiated in this regard”, Chohan told reporters.
According to the media reports from police sources, the district police officer (DPO) Rizwan Gondal of Pakpattan was reportedly transferred after he intercepted Khawar Maneka, former husband of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife, for speeding.
Gondal tried to stop Khawar at a checkpoint on August 23 but he did not stop. However, they chased his vehicle and managed to intercept him. The ex-husband of the first lady misbehaved with the police and hurled expletives at them when they stopped him. Later, Gondal and the Regional Police Officer were summoned by Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar at his 7-Club Road office and told to go to Maneka’s Dera (village outhouse) and apologise to him. The DPO refused to tender the pressured apology to Khawar, saying the police was not at fault over intercepting him.
Gondal was then notified as OSD by the Punjab Inspector General of Police Syed Kaleem Imam, reportedly for refusing to seek an apology from Khawar.
