Supreme Court Prohibits Colonially-Obscure Police Complaint Term ‘Bakhidmat Janab’

Supreme Court Bans Use of ‘Bakhidmat Janab’ in Police Complaints

The Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling, declaring the use of the phrase “Bakhidmat Janab SHO” impermissible in police applications. The judgment, authored by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, and made public through Judicial Law Clerk Muhammad Subhan Malik, categorically rejected colonial-era language.

According to the court’s directive, police departments are barred from accepting applications addressed as “Bakhidmat Janab SHO.” The ruling states that an SHO (Superintendent of Police) is a public servant, not a master, and citizens are not subordinates. Consequently, such applications may only be addressed as “Janab SHO.”

The Supreme Court also ruled that the citizen seeking registration of an FIR should be referred to as an “informant,” rather than a “complainant.” The judgment clarified that the term “complainant” is applicable only in private criminal complaints. Additionally, the word “faryadi” has been prohibited in police proceedings, as it conveys a sense of pleading for mercy rather than asserting a legal right.

The court further emphasized that any delay in registering an FIR is unacceptable and could lead to prosecution under Section 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The Supreme Court stressed that delays in FIR registration risk loss of evidence and highlighted the need for a fundamental shift in state conduct toward citizens.