The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that details of dismissed or acquitted cases cannot be included in police certificates issued to citizens. The decision came in response to a petition filed by Dr. Uzma Hamid, who was acquitted of a fraud case in 2017 but found the case still reflected in her police certificate required for an overseas visa.
Justice Tariq Saleem, in a detailed verdict, rejected Dr. Hamid’s request to erase the case from police records entirely but directed authorities to issue a fresh certificate within ten days, omitting any reference to the dismissed case. The court emphasized that while police may maintain internal records, official certificates should not reflect cases in which individuals were acquitted.
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The ruling reinforced that under the law, a person acquitted of charges must be treated as if the case never existed. It also highlighted Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees the protection of a citizen’s dignity and privacy.
Dr. Hamid had faced fraud charges in 2016 but was acquitted by a judicial magistrate the following year. Despite her acquittal, her police certificate still included details of the dismissed case, prompting the legal challenge.
The court further clarified that police may retain case records for up to 60 years under existing rules, but citizens cannot be penalized by the inclusion of acquitted cases in official documentation, safeguarding their reputation and rights.
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