Lawyers claim police ‘stigmatising’ the youth

Those accused in petty crimes are not given opportunity to prove their innocence before court

LAHORE: A number of lawyers have prepared and ratified a requisition against what they call ‘misconduct of police officials’.

They allege some cops are not providing opportunities to those accused of petty crimes to establish their innocence before magisterial courts.

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According to the lawyers, the objective of the requisition is to stop police officials from “ruining the future of the youth”, especially students who are punished and fined by courts.

The requisition, ratified by more than 200 lawyers, is likely to be submitted before district and sessions judge Abid Hussain Qureshi in a few days. It is stated in the requisition that it has become a common practice for police officials to ‘deal’ with suspects after they are arrested and FIRs are registered.

According to the requisition, police demand bribes from the suspects and assure they will get absolved of the charges at magisterial courts. In connivance with court officials, police personnel get small fines imposed on them.

The lawyers claim it is tantamount to depriving the accused of their right to establish their innocence before courts through their lawyers. They said no one knows whether or not the accused had been implicated in forged or false cases by the police.

The requisition further stated that the future of the younger generation, especially students, was being ruined by police officials with the stigma of court punishments and fines.



Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior lawyer, Azhar Siddique, termed it a sheer violation of the Constitution. He echoed the views of others who said some police officials were ruining the future of innocent children. He suggested strict action against such officials.

Meanwhile, DIG Operations Dr Haider Ashraf told The Express Tribune that a false image of the police department was being projected through the lawyers’ requisition. He was of the view that the act of an individual cannot be taken as the norm of a department. He said there was a strict check and balance mechanism in place and those involved in such heinous acts would be dealt with accordingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2017.