LHC directs Punjab Police to use appropriate word for ‘hooligans’

Court says no accused should be exploited without substantial reason

LAHORE: Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi has directed the DIG Legal to use an appropriate word to replace the term ‘hooligans’ for those whom the court has not convicted so far, in a list of top 10 gangsters issued by the Punjab police.

As the proceedings on a petition commenced, Justice Naqvi remarked that no accused should be exploited without any substantial reason and no concession be given to those who were found guilty.

Justice Naqvi was hearing petitions filed by Ameer Balaj Tipu, Mansha Bomb and others.

If a person was not convicted by the court, a word such as hooligan could not be used for him, Justice Naqvi remarked. “It could be a language of common people but it cannot be official language,” Justice Naqvi remarked. DIG Legal Jawad Dogar replied that such a word could not be written in the official language.

The judge remarked that the policing system has weakened and police officials, as well as common people, were responsible for its failure. “Article 3 of the constitution is clearly saying that no one should be exploited,” Justice Naqvi asserted.

He said the relatives of a person who starts earning handsome money or acquires higher education start getting cases registered against him in jealousy. “So under such a condition what would you say whether we could use the word ‘hooligan’ against a person who faces such forged cases,” Justice Naqvi asked.

“That dignity which a person had maintained in society could not be ruined until the final decision of the courts.”

The petitioners contended that the Punjab police, contrary to the reality, included their names in the list of top lawbreakers. They maintained that the courts had acquitted them in most cases while some were pending but they were being portrayed as “hooligans”. They requested the court to pass directions to the quarters concerned to remove their names from the list. The court adjourned the proceedings for March 4.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2020.