LAHORE: A Lahore High Court full bench on Friday issued notices to the provincial government, the inspector general of police (IGP) and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) in a case against the police stations’ record management system.

Headed by Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, the bench ordered the IGP to compile a manual record of all cases registered in the province and submit a report by Sept 11.

The bench also instructed the PITB to present the mechanism of the police software and details of the costs and expenditures related to the computerised system of the police.

Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa were other two members at the full bench formed on the recommendation of the latter.

During the hearing, the bench remarked that the safety of the record was of utmost importance, saying the police eliminated all manual records without any legal justification and put the entire record at risk by computerising the system.

The bench observed that when call data record (CDR) was computerised, it became accessible to ordinary police officers. It regretted that the CDR of citizens was available for Rs50 to Rs100.

The chief justice said the swift access to such valuable and important data raises questions about the entire system.

She noted that access to the CDR had led to tampering with the cases, and senior police officers had misused the system.

Justice Bajwa hearing the matter in a single bench had recommended the chief justice to constitute a larger bench to decide the issue.

In its proceedings, the single judge had been critical to the performance of the PITB and the conduct of its chairman.

The judge had also taken exception to the allegations of tampering with the police record.

TWO-FINGER TEST: The same full bench issued notices to the federal and provincial governments on a petition challenging the practice of two-finger test of female victims of sexual assault at hospitals despite a ban.

Chief Justice Neelum observed that the matter was of significant importance, and its decision would have a profound impact on the criminal justice system.

The bench issued notices to the respondents for Sept 11, and also summoned the Specialised Healthcare Punjab secretary and police officials at the next hearing.

Petitioner Salman Tahir, through counsel Mian Dawood, pleaded that Millat Park police registered a case against him on the charge of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.

He said Dr Aliza Gill from Services Hospital issued a bogus and illegal medical certificate, including the two-finger test for the victim.

On July 2, the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department told the LHC that the female doctor had been terminated for performing a two-finger test (virginity test) of the minor rape victim.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2024