Fake police reports: Complainants, officers to be held accountable

Amendments to the PPC propose the right to appeal for the aggrieved party.

ISLAMABAD:

A parliamentary panel, working on overhauling Section 182 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) of 1860 to curb registration of fake police reports, is considering to broaden the purview of the law, holding complainants and investigation officers accountable for filing fake First Information Reports (FIRs).

“We are going to hold a meeting with (members of the) Punjab Bar Council (PBC) after Eid to finalise amendments in the age-old law,” Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry, convener of the private member bill, told The Express Tribune on Friday.

Earlier, the National Assembly’s sub-committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs decided to broaden the law’s parameters, holding the investigation officer accountable and providing the aggrieved party the right to appeal against such fake reports.

The amendment was moved by MNA Begum Nuzhat Sadiq in which she contended that the punishment provided in the penal code for giving false information was insufficient. The amendment proposes to increase the imprisonment term from six months to five years and enhancing the fine from Rs3,000 to Rs200,000.

“The PBC had assured us to assist the committee for introducing the amendment,” Chaudhry added.

Earlier, the sub-committee agreed to enhance the punishment for filing fake FIRs and supported the bill to check the registration of such reports.



Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2011.