KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has ruled that the misconduct of one person does not justify the police subjecting their family members to disrespect and harassment.

“The main objectives of the police are to apprehend offenders, investigate crimes and prosecute them, to prevent the commission of crime and above all, ensure law and order to protect citizens’ lives and property. But unfortunately, these objectives have remained unfulfilled,” observed Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon of the SHC.

Justice Memon made these observations while disposing of a petition filed by a woman and her son against police and private respondents.

Petitioners Zoya, along with her son, Sahil Khan, cited the Sindh home secretary, inspector general of police, DIG-East, Gulistan-i-Jauhar SHO and relatives of deceased Asfandyar as respondents in their petition.

Bench asks DIG to investigate allegations levelled by petitioners

She submitted that she and her family were facing serious threats to their lives as her husband, Ahmed Khan Depar, was implicated in a murder case.

The police submitted that Mr Depar was booked in the Asfand Yar’s murder case and was also wanted in another murder case in Larkana and police were actively pursuing his arrest.

The police denied any wrongdoing and alleged that the petition was an attempt to obstruct legitimate police work.

The bench in its order stated that it was the responsibility of police, particularly senior officers, to address such issues.

It noted that higher judiciary had been consistently condemning police harassment and also held that the misconduct of one family member did not justify subjecting others to dishonour, disrespect and harassment. Such police actions violate the law, legal ethics, and human rights and violations of this fundamental right constitute harassment, it added.

“Deviations of police officers and police excesses in dealing with the law and order situation have been the subject of adverse comments from this court as well as from other courts, but they have failed to have any corrective effect on it,” it said.

The bench also directed the police to investigate the subject issue in accordance with the law by hearing the parties as the petitioners have apprehension of foul play at the hands of the police because they were lodging multiple FIRs against them as pointed out by the petitioners’ counsel.

The petitioners had submitted that Mr Depar had been missing for a month and they suspected that the murder victim’s relatives, backed by police, were involved in his disappearance.

Published in Dawn, April 3rd, 2025