Khudayar Mohla –
ISLAMABAD, (TLTP): Underscoring the importance of flawless police investigation in collecting evidence to prove or disprove a criminal act, the Supreme Court Wednesday directed police chiefs of all four provinces, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Gilgit-Baltistan to prepare contemporary approach-based investigation handbook for investigation officers within six months.
A two-member bench of Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed issued directives through a written order in a bail matter, asking the country’s police that new investigation tools shall be added in every new edition whereas the handbook on investigation would be ensured to issue to investigation officers every year on 1st of July.
A renowned criminal lawyer in the town Sharafat Chaudhry said while talking to TLTP that whole the edifice created in a criminal case based on police report of the investigation officer saying incompetence of an investigation officer or lacunas in the police report generally results in non-conviction of a culprit.
Appreciating the top court verdict Chaudhry termed handbook will set out benchmarks for the investigation officer besides the accountability of illegal responses of such police officers misusing power in the country.
“The handbook on investigation shall be updated every year and new experiences shall be added along with latest case-law given by the superior Courts. New investigation tools shall be added in every new edition, to be issued every year on 1st of July. A copy of such investigation handbook shall be provided by the IG Police, Islamabad to the Registrar of this Court for our examination in chambers,” said in the order.
The bench further directed the concerned authorities that Police Training Centre should take services of qualified professionals for imparting professional training to the investigation officers.
The bench further said that investigation of a crime is a specialized subject in which the investigation officers are required to be fully trained and equipped, adding a handbook of the crime investigation, based upon previous experiences, illustrations, practical applications and case-law developed by the superior Courts of Pakistan should be prepared immediately with knowledge of using of investigation kits and preparing a computerized data of the crime.
“Such handbook of investigation should be immediately prepared but not later than 6 months from today, and it should be made available to each of the investigation officers, who are responsible for investigating the crime. The handbook on investigation shall be updated every year and new experiences shall be added along with latest case-law given by the superior Courts” said the bench in written order on Wednesday.
The order further stated that new investigation tools shall be added in every new edition, to be issued every year on 1st of July as well as a copy of such investigation handbook shall be provided by the IG Police, Islamabad to the Registrar of this Court for our examination in chambers.
The bench passed this order in the purview of a bail application of a suspect Saddam Hussain who was allegedly involved in illegal occupation of a plot in which one person was killed and four others were injured. During the proceedings on Tuesday, the bench has reprimanded Islamabad Police Inspector General (IGP) Aamer Zulfiqar and directed him to improve the police department’s performance.
In its writer order in the matter on Wednesday the top court issued directives to IG Islamabad to take all measures to improve the quality of working of Islamabad Police, overall in general and in the matter of investigation in particular.
“The IG Islamabad shall also ensure that proper law and order situation prevails in Islamabad Capital Territory, and the life and properties of the people are safeguarded and protected, and the criminals are taken to task in accordance with law. No amount of negligence in this regard should be tolerated and if any body in police department is found neglecting his duties, he should immediately be dealt with and if found guilty, appropriate penalty be imposed upon him. If any police official is found indulging in criminal activities, the criminal case shall also be registered against him, besides, taking departmental action against such police official”, stated in the court order.
“We may emphasize that it is the constitutional right of the people that their lives and properties are saved and protected by the State and such State functionaries include the police officials. Copy of this order be sent to IG Police of all the four provinces and Gilgit Baltistan for implementation of above directions’, the court concluded.
