News Desk
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a landmark ruling curbing outdated, colonial-era language in police documents, declaring that a Station House Officer (SHO) is a public servant, not a master.
Justice Salahuddin Panhwar authored the decision, which prohibits addressing SHOs as “Bakhidmat Janab” in official complaints.
The court ruled that anyone lodging an FIR will now be termed an “informant” rather than a complainant, while the term “faryaadi” is also banned, as it implies seeking mercy instead of asserting one’s rights. The judgment came after a delayed FIR was filed at Tando Ghulam Ali police station, highlighting widespread administrative lapses.
The court emphasized that delays in registering FIRs are unacceptable, warning police officers that such delays could constitute an offence under Section 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code and may risk the loss of crucial evidence.
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