The Lahore High Court directed police to link their criminal record system with the National and Database Registration Authority (NADRA) and summoned the Nadra officers on the next hearing.

The court of Justice Ali Zia Bajwa issued the directives while taking up a plea for the removal of names of the acquitted or discharged citizens from the police record.

The court also sought a report on the steps taken to link the police's criminal record management system with Nadra

After acquittal or discharge from the cases, the names of citizens are not being removed and they are threatened by police, the petitioner told the court. Police officers, including the DIG concerned, appeared in the court and listed the department’s feats for facilitating citizens.

But Justice Ali Zia told the DIG that a couple of issues should be taken up with Nadra. There are many flaws in the system, the court stressed, adding that the police criminal record management system is being operated through fingerprints parallel to Nadra.

“Due to the negligence of the police, the names of those acquitted have not been removed from the system,” the court observed and mentioned the system of Easypaisa and Jazzcahsh linking Nadra.

Petitioner’s lawyer Rabia Bajwa told the court that two hundred students of Punjab University have been booked in anti-terrorism cases and their names are placed on the police criminal record system. Though they have been acquitted or got clean chits, their names are still on the police record, she said seeking court directives for addressing the matter.

Reporter: Malik Ashraf