The Supreme Court has expressed displeasure over delays in registering FIRs in murder cases in Sindh, directing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh and the Prosecutor General to submit written recommendations within one week, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
A three-member bench, headed by Justice Hashim Kakar, heard the case concerning delays in registering FIRs in murder cases.
Justice Hashim Kakar said the delays of two or three days in registering an FIR could result in the acquittal of the accused, stressing that such delays were unacceptable in murder cases.
Justice Kakar said the very concept of punishment was non-existent in Sindh and added that an SOP should be issued to ensure FIRs are registered immediately after an incident is reported.
Justice Salahuddin Panhwar said FIRs in heinous crimes must be registered without delay and called for an end to the practice of seeking permission before registering an FIR.
He observed that if an accused was influential, police halted daily diary entries, while in murder cases, police sometimes waited for a feudal lord’s permission before registering an FIR.
“Enough is enough; abandon this policy and register FIRs for heinous crimes immediately,” Justice Panhwar said.
Moreover, the bench proposed departmental action against SHOs and DSPs responsible for delaying FIR registration and sought a clear policy from the IGP Sindh on the issue.
The IGP Sindh told the court that efforts were underway to eliminate delays in FIR registration.
“If your hands are tied, we want to untie them,” Justice Panhwar told the IGP, stressing that police should not be allowed to delay FIR registration.
The court directed the IGP Sindh and Prosecutor General to submit their recommendations within one week. The court adjourned the next hearing until October 6.