Pakistani police officials suspended over FIR against 3-year-old

Islamabad: Pakistan interior minister Nisar Ali Khan has suspended the investigation officer and station house officer here for registering an FIR against a three-year-old boy in a land grabbing case besides issuing a show- cause notice to the top officials on the matter.

Nisar yesterday issued show-cause notice to the Superintendent of Police for negligence and asked IG Islamabad range "why such FIR was registered" against the child, in a bizarre case that also prompted a court to summon the officials concerned.

"On the one hand, people suffer as their FIRs don't get registered while on the other hand, a case was registered by police without any investigation," Khan said.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, he suspended the Investigation Officer and Station House Officer of Shalimar police station in Islamabad for registering the FIR against the toddler without undertaking proper investigation.

The child has been accused of grabbing land of a plaza and stealing its property following which his family approached the court to secure a bail before he could be arrested.

The bench expressed its displeasure over the Islamabad police's blunder and demanded to know from the child's legal counsel if securing a bail was even warranted, Geo TV reported.

The counsel informed the court that since the child is nominated in the FIR, therefore bail before arrest is being sought. At this, the additional sessions judge remarked that if one institution makes a mistake should the court also keep its eyes closed.

The court has summoned the Station House Officer and the investigation officer to appear before the court and explain their position.

It is not for the time that a child has been booked in criminal case in Pakistan. Last year, Lahore police booked a nine-month-old infant for attempted murder.