ISLAMABAD: A petition filed in Islamabad High Court has alleged that a group of complainants, in connivance with certain police officials, was using criminal proceedings as a tool for extortion and recovery of money in disputes that were essentially civil and commercial in nature.

The petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution and section 561-A of the Criminal Procedure Code, challenged FIR No 162/26 registered at Karachi Company police station on March 4, 2026 under Section 406 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The petitioner contended that the case had been lodged with mala fide intent and argued that the police machinery was being misused to pressure accused persons into settling disputed financial claims.

According to the plea, the matter pertained to business transactions and contractual disputes but had deliberately been given a criminal colour. The petitioner alleged that instead of directing parties towards appropriate civil remedies, certain police officials facilitated coercive action to recover money on behalf of private individuals.

The petition alleged that an “organised syndicate” was operating in Islamabad and adjoining areas where similar tactics were repeatedly employed through registration of criminal cases.

In support of the allegations, the petitioner attached a chart detailing multiple FIRs registered in different police stations over the past several months. The chart listed cases allegedly involving similar complainants, investigating officials and accusations relating to recoveries.

According to the petition, one such case was an FIR registered on June 27, 2020 at the Aabpara police station under Section 392 PPC, while another FIR registered on Feb 26, 2026 at Sabzi Mandi police station under sections 406, 224, 353 and 506(ii) PPC.

The chart also referred to FIR registered on July 24, 2025 at Shahzad Town police station under sections 365 and 506(ii), and another lodged on May 23, 2025 at Sabzi Mandi police station under sections 386, 387, 506(ii), 109 and 34 PPC.

The petitioner further cited an FIR registered at Karachi Company police station on March 23, 2026 and several other cases lodged in Loi Bher, Quaidabad, Pirwadhai and Joharabad police stations.

According to the petition, many of these cases involved allegations of criminal breach of trust, extortion, intimidation and abduction, while some were registered against different persons on substantially similar facts.

It alleged that repeated registration of such cases reflected a pattern aimed at harassing individuals and compelling settlements through fear of arrest and criminal prosecution.

The petitioner maintained that co-accused persons in connected matters had already secured interim and post-arrest bail from courts, which, according to the plea, demonstrated that the allegations required further inquiry.

It was argued before the court that the essential ingredients of Section 406 PPC were absent in the impugned FIR and that no cognisable offence was made out from the contents of the complaint.

The petitioner requested the high court to quash the FIR and restrain police authorities from taking coercive action, contending that continuation of the proceedings amounted to abuse of process and misuse of state machinery.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2026