BY: Syed Fawad Ali Shah
ISLAMABAD – The Prime Minister has ordered formal disciplinary proceedings against senior police officer Humayun Masood Sandhu (PSP/BS-20) under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020. Ms. Saadia Sarwat Jawaid (PAS/BS-22) has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer with clear directions to complete the proceedings within 60 days. The Establishment Division has also been instructed to direct the IGP Islamabad to initiate necessary legal action and submit a progress report within seven days. The case arises from a complaint filed by Ms. Sania Shahid, who has levelled a series of serious allegations against the officer. According to the complaint, the officer subjected her to physical assault and acts of torture, violating norms of lawful and humane conduct. He is further accused of coercing her into undergoing a miscarriage against her will, disregarding her resistance and personal autonomy.
It is also alleged that he unlawfully retained sensitive Counter Terrorism Wing (CTW) files at his residence, raising concerns about a breach of official confidentiality and security protocols. The complainant has also alleged that she was forced into a sham or invalid Nikah through pressure and intimidation. In addition, the officer is accused of orchestrating her forcible eviction from a residence with the involvement of ICT Police, during which she was physically manhandled and her personal belongings were unlawfully confiscated. The allegations further include claims that he blackmailed her father, threatened her brother, and initiated false and malicious complaints to harass and pressure the family. It is also stated that he repeatedly used threats of divorce as a means to control, intimidate, and silence her. It is pertinent to note that Humayun Masood Sandhu is currently serving in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police as DIG Legal. The Prime Minister’s move is being widely appreciated across public circles, as it is being seen as a rare instance where the Prime Minister’s Office has initiated both departmental proceedings and directed legal action against a PSP police officer. Sources further claim that multiple inquiries had previously been conducted against Humayun Masood Sandhu by the FIA and the Establishment Division, but he managed to clear himself in those proceedings. His continued appointment to a key position such as DIG Legal in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, despite past allegations, is being viewed by critics as indicative of a system that allegedly enables and emboldens controversial officers. The revised charge sheet and statement of allegations have been formally placed on record, and further action is now expected from the Establishment Division as the inquiry moves forward.
