In Pakistan, efforts by successive governments to overhaul the police system have faced challenges, as recent incidents suggest resistance to reform within the police force itself.
A recent episode in Islamabad has highlighted ongoing issues. A married couple was stopped at a checkpoint by Islamabad police, who then requested their marriage certificate, causing the couple distress. The incident occurred at the PWD checkpoint, where the couple, accompanied by the woman’s brother-in-law, was detained for two hours at the Lohi Bher police station because they could not produce a marriage certificate.
Depressed by the encounter, the woman conveyed her ordeal in a video message to the IG of Islamabad Police, later shared on social media by senior journalist Nadir Baloch. In her message, she detailed how they were stopped while trying to procure medicine for her brother-in-law, demanded to show not only their national ID cards but also a marriage certificate, and were subsequently taken to the police station and humiliated.
The video quickly went viral on platform X (formerly Twitter), prompting an official response from the Islamabad Police. DIG Operations Syed Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari immediately reviewed the incident and suspended the officers involved. An inquiry led by SP Sawan concluded with the suspension and dismissal of five officers from the department due to failure to address public complaints and poor investigative practices.
DIG Bukhari expressed his firm stance against such conduct, emphasizing that it was wholly unacceptable. He reiterated the directives issued to the police force multiple times: officers should not engage in unnecessary personal inquiries or demand documents like marriage certificates during routine checks. He underscored the commitment to upholding respectful and lawful interactions with the public, affirming that any deviation from these standards would not be tolerated.
