LHC CJ Summons Punjab IG Over Contempt Pleadings

News Desk
LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on Wednesday summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Abdul Kareem in a contempt of court petition brought against personnel of the Chung police station.
The high-level judicial summons was issued during the hearing of a petition filed by citizen Mian Muhammad Jamil, who accused local law enforcement of defying explicit judicial orders regarding the registration of a criminal case.
Representing the petitioner, Advocate Shahbaz Bhatti informed the bench that an LHC single bench had previously suspended a 2021 sessions court order mandating the filing of a first information report (FIR) against his client.
Despite this clear legal protection, the petitioner alleged that local police unlawfully proceeded to register the case anyway, prompting the contempt proceedings.
The hearing took a sharp turn when Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdullah, appearing on behalf of the Chung police, failed to properly read or narrate the contents of the contested FIR.
Expressing profound displeasure over poor drafting and institutional oversight, Justice Neelum remarked that such unreadable documents reflect poorly on police administration, adding that citizens across the province are suffering due to systemic administrative failures.
The court is expected to review the official response from the Punjab IGP during the upcoming proceedings, where strict directives regarding adherence to judicial rulings and improved investigative documentation are anticipated.
Legal experts view the summons as a stern warning to law enforcement agencies against ignoring high court stays and procedural mandates.