Capital police warned over poor probe

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday raised serious concerns over the quality of investigations conducted by Islamabad Police in four separate cases, including a murder case and warned of action if the investigation system was not improved.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro made the observations while hearing different cases and addressing the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), who had been summoned to appear before the court.

The judge remarked that investigations in all four cases had not been conducted properly, adding that courts were required to decide cases on the basis of the available record.

"We have to dispense justice on the basis of documents placed before us, but the quality of investigations often leaves the court with no option but to grant bail," Justice Soomro observed. He pointed out that investigation officers in Islamabad Police receive salaries of up to Rs1,00,000, while their counterparts in Sindh Police earn around Rs40,000, yet investigations in Sindh were comparatively better.

Justice Soomro said the court had refrained from summoning senior police officers during the past one and a half years, as it was generally reluctant to call senior officials to explain such matters. However, he said, the court had decided to summon the SSP after reviewing four cases that had come before it over the past two weeks.

The judge observed that the investigations in all four cases had been mishandled and that the court had carefully examined the record. He directed the SSP to improve the police investigation system, warning that the situation had become unacceptable.

Justice Soomro also warned that if similar deficiencies were found in future cases, the court would issue adverse observations.