LHC Orders Bigger Fonts for Punjab Police FIRs
News Desk
LAHORE: An FIR is supposed to put the facts of a case on paper. But what happens when the writing on that paper is so small that even the police officer presenting it struggles to read it?
That was the unusual issue that came before the Lahore High Court, prompting Chief Justice Aalia Neelum to direct Punjab Police to increase the font size used in first information reports (FIRs) across the province.
During a hearing on Thursday, the chief justice expressed concern over the small fonts being used in FIRs, observing that the documents had become increasingly difficult to read.
Her frustration was summed up in a pointed remark: “While police are saving paper, we are losing our eyesight.”
The issue was not raised in isolation. According to the court, similar problems had appeared in case after case, raising questions about how easily FIRs can be read by police officers, lawyers, judges and complainants.
The chief justice noted that compressing the contents of a three-page FIR onto a single page may save paper, but it can also make the text practically unreadable.
The court subsequently directed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rao Abdul Kareem to ensure that FIRs throughout Punjab are printed in a uniform and larger font.
The IGP told the court that the police had already written to the chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board regarding an increase in the font size.
The chief justice sought a detailed report from the IGP outlining the measures taken and adjourned the hearing until September 29.
It started with a simple question
The court’s concern became particularly visible during Wednesday’s hearing of another petition involving Chung police.
Superintendent of Police Abdullah appeared before the court and was asked by Justice Neelum to read an FIR aloud.
He struggled to properly read or narrate its contents.
That prompted the chief justice to question why an official police document was so difficult to read.
She also took a sarcastic swipe at the handwriting, comparing it to “flies” and quipping that even the size of the flies was bigger.
The exchange highlighted a surprisingly basic problem within an otherwise highly formal legal process: if an FIR cannot be comfortably read, how effectively can it serve as the foundation of a criminal case?
More than a font-size issue
The court’s direction may sound like a minor administrative adjustment, but FIRs are central documents in criminal proceedings. They record allegations at the beginning of a case and can become important references throughout the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
That makes readability more than a matter of appearance.
The LHC has now asked Punjab Police to address the issue province-wide rather than treating it as an isolated problem.
The court has also sought a separate report concerning a contempt petition filed by a citizen against the police.
For now, the message from the Lahore High Court is straightforward: saving a sheet of paper should not come at the cost of making the document unreadable.
