Key Takeaways
- Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum summoned Punjab IGP Rao Abdul Kareem in a contempt of court petition.
- The case pertains to the Lahore police's handling of FIRs and alleged non-compliance with court orders.
- Justice Neelum expressed dissatisfaction with the readability of the FIRs and summoned the IGP for Thursday.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Abdul Kareem in a contempt of court petition against Lahore police personnel.
The summons came during a hearing of a petition filed by citizen Mian Muhammad Jamil, with Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdullah representing the Chung police.
Advocate Shahbaz Bhatti, the petitioner's counsel, alleged that a 2021 order by a sessions court to register a first information report (FIR) against his client was suspended by an LHC single bench, but the police registered a case against the petitioner unlawfully.
Justice Neelum asked SP Abdullah to read the FIR aloud, but he was unable to do so properly, leading to the chief justice's observation that the FIR was not readable.
Expressing her displeasure, Justice Neelum sarcastically noted that the writing in the FIR looked like “flies,” adding, “Even the size of the flies is bigger [than this].”
The chief justice also summoned IG Kareem in person for Thursday, along with relevant records, in a separate case where she rejected an inquiry report submitted in a contempt of court matter against the Lahore capital city police officer (CCPO).
In another case, Justice Neelum was hearing a petition filed by citizen Momin Khan, who alleged that police officials were harassing him despite court orders.
The petitioner’s counsel contended that an earlier petition against police harassment had been referred to the CCPO for redressal, but the police continued to subject him to harassment, leading to the request for contempt proceedings against the CCPO.
Justice Neelum observed that the entire Punjab was suffering due to the situation with the police, stating, “This is the situation everywhere.”
Why is the FIR not readable? I cannot understand what has been written in it.
Justice Aalia Neelum, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court
The entire Punjab is suffering; this is the situation everywhere.
Justice Aalia Neelum, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court
