PESHAWAR: The Peshawar police have imposed a ban on video recordings and interviews of individuals detained in police stations across the city.

A notification issued from the office of the capital city police officer said that the ban enforced strict restrictions on creating statements and videos of arrested suspects for the purpose of sharing them on social media or any other platforms.

The notification explicitly stated that legal action would be initiated against anyone found violating the new rule.

This policy was implemented following directives from the Peshawar High Court, which had earlier instructed the police department to prohibit such practices.

According to police officials, the primary objective of the ban is to safeguard the legal rights of suspects and to ensure the integrity of the judicial process. They emphasised that publicising a suspect’s image or statements before a fair trial can prejudice legal proceedings and violate the presumption of innocence.

Furthermore, the ban is seen as a crucial step to mitigate the negative societal impacts caused by the circulation of unauthorised and often inflammatory viral videos.

Such content can potentially influence public opinion, endanger the safety of those involved, and undermine the formal justice system.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025