ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that police cannot mention an FIR in the character certificate of a citizen who has been acquitted in the case, declaring any such certificate unlawful and invalid.

Justice Ayyaz Shaukat, while deciding a public interest petition, directed the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, to establish a formal mechanism to ensure that references to criminal cases ending in acquittal are not included in character certificates issued to citizens.

The court observed that citizens should not be compelled to approach courts to exercise rights already guaranteed under the law.

It held that following an acquittal, there was no legal justification for portraying an individual as an accused or criminal through a police-issued character certificate.

Rules such mention violates constitutional rights, including dignity and freedom of movement

Allowing the petition, the court ordered the removal of a reference to an FIR registered at Shalimar Police Station from the petitioner’s character certificate.

The judgement clarified that although police could maintain internal records of criminal cases for official purposes, such information could not be disclosed in character certificates issued to citizens, particularly when these were required for travelling abroad.

It further observed that there was no legal basis for mentioning an FIR in a character certificate after the proceedings had culminated in a final acquittal. Any certificate containing such a reference would be legally invalid.

Justice Ayyaz Shaukat also rejected the police’s description of the petitioner as having been “discharged” during the investigation, observing that such a characterisation undermined the legal effect and status of the acquittal.

The court held that including an FIR in a character certificate despite an individual’s acquittal violated Articles 4, 9, 14 and 15 of the Constitution, which protect citizens’ rights, liberty, dignity and freedom of movement.

It emphasised that a person acquitted through due process of law could not continue to face adverse consequences through a character certificate suggesting involvement in criminal proceedings.

The court directed the Islamabad police chief to introduce a proper procedure to ensure that acquitted citizens did not have to initiate fresh litigation merely to obtain character certificates reflecting their actual legal status.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2026