Review reveals lapses in handling of criminal cases

Delays in FIRs, forensic reports spark concerns among Rawalpindi police officials

RAWALPINDI:

A recent internal review has revealed significant lapses in the handling of serious criminal cases by Rawalpindi police stations, including delays in filing First Information Reports (FIRs), pending DNA reports at the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, and repeated failure of station house officers (SHOs) and investigating officers to appear in court on scheduled dates.

City Police Officer (CPO) Khalid Hamdani and SSP Operations Kashif Zulfiqar expressed strong concerns over these issues.

They have directed divisional superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure timely registration of FIRs, expedite the process of acquiring pending forensic reports, and ensure compliance with court orders.

According to official sources, CPO Hamdani specifically addressed SPs of Rawal, Potohar, and Saddar divisions, citing a large number of serious cases—including murder, rape, gang rape, and unnatural offences—whose DNA reports remain pending at the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.

Despite these cases being under trial in courts, relevant SHOs and officers have reportedly failed to follow up on the forensic reports, leading to frequent embarrassment for the police in legal proceedings.

Furthermore, the CPO highlighted that SHOs and investigating officers often do not appear in court on their assigned dates.

He issued strict instructions that all such officers must be made accountable for attending court hearings and ensuring the implementation of judicial orders. He also emphasised that pending DNA reports must be obtained and presented in court without delay and that full case details should be shared with both the CPO Office and the forensic agency.

Separately, SSP Operations Kashif Zulfiqar issued a formal directive to divisional SPs, stating that monitoring has revealed a consistent failure to register FIRs on time, which constitutes a serious violation of standard operating procedures and directives from higher authorities.