The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the failure to register a case despite court orders, warning that rising crime would become uncontrollable if police officials failed to maintain command and control.
Chief Justice Justice Aalia Neelum heard a petition filed against non-registration of an FIR. CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana appeared before the court during the proceedings in compliance with the court orders.
Addressing the police chief, the court remarked that police officers appeared to have stopped performing their duties and questioned whether the CCPO would now have to be summoned in every matter.
The Chief Justice observed that if such a situation persisted, the presence of so many officers served little purpose. The court further expressed concern that an increase in crime would add to the already growing burden of cases on courts.
During the proceedings, the court questioned whether any law stated that a case from 2020 could not proceed or that an investigating officer could abandon an investigation merely because the matter was old.
The CCPO Lahore informed the court that the FIR had been registered immediately after the court’s order, but the matter was later closed after a settlement was reached between both parties. After hearing the CCPO’s explanation, the court disposed of the petition. The petitioner, Bilqees Bibi, had approached the court for registration of a case against a citizen.