LAHORE, May 28: In yet another wave of administrative reshuffle in the capital city police ranks, the provincial police chief has transferred and posted five officers.

The IGP has so far transferred and posted 13 police officers in ranks of SSP as well as SP in ongoing month of May.

According to a notification issued by the Central Police Office on Monday, Assistant Inspector General, Administration and Security, Punjab Police Headquarters Babar Bakht Qureshi has been transferred and posted Lahore SSP (Operations) vice SSP Captain Sajjad Hassan Manj (retired) who has been transferred and directed to report to the police headquarters.

SSP Sohail Akhter Sokhaira, who was awaiting posting, has been posted as AIG Administration and Security in Mr Bakhat`s place.

SP Imtiaz Serwar, awaiting posting, has been posted Lahore VVIP Security SP vice Jamal Nasir who has been transferred and posted Lahore SP Security-III Security Division against an existing vacancy.

A source at the Central Police Office said SSP (Operations) Sajjad Hassan Manj was made `scapegoat` to accommodate Mr Bakht as Mr Manj was not conveyed specific reason for his transfer.

He said Mr Manj was just directed by the Central Police Office to report to the police headquarters immediately.

He said at least two attempts to replace Mr Manj were made in the last three months during his posting.

Earlier, Mr Manj had replaced SSP Sarfraz Ahmad Falki as SSP (Operations) on March 1, 2012. Mr Falki was posted SSP (Operations) on Dec 3, 2011 in place of SSP Shaukat Abbas and was transferred just after three months.

A senior police of ficer, who is posted at the Central Police Office and has close observation of the administrative decisions, said it appeared now-a-days that `political` interference was dominating in transfers and postings on key posts in the Punjab police and authorities were `intentionally` ignoring the fact that haphazard postings badly affected continuation of policies and caused frustration and lack of will among force.

He said it had become routine in the department that officers/officials without any specific justification were transferred to accommodate others and realising that police were a disciplined force and required tenure postings on the pattern of Armed Forces.