Most custodial torture cases from Punjab, LHC told

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has revealed that Punjab leads other provinces by a wide margin in complaints of custodial torture.

However, only a fraction of such complaints across the country have been converted into formal criminal cases, according to a report submitted to the Lahore High Court.

According to official data up to April 30, 2026, the FIA has registered 364 inquiries nationwide under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prev­ention and Punishment) Act, 2022.

Of these, Punjab alone accounts for 266 inquiries. In comparison, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa registered 48, Sindh 33, Islamabad 15, and Balochistan two.

Despite the high number of complaints in Punjab, it ties with Sindh for the highest number of registered FIRs, with each province recording 19 cases.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad registered six FIRs each, while Bal­ochistan converted both of its two inquiries into FIRs.

Of the 364 inquiries registered across the country, only 52 have been converted into formal criminal cases.

The report further showed that the FIA Lahore Zone, which covers Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib districts, handled 86 inquiries.

The data was submitted to the court by Rana Asad Ramzan, head of the FIA Lahore Zone’s Anti-Torture Unit.

The report was filed in response to a public interest petition by the Judicial Activism Panel (JAP), challenging alleged fake encounters by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD) and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

Defending its track record, the FIA stated that it was enforcing the anti-torture law to the best of its ability within available resources and budget.

The agency said all investigations were being conducted under the close supervision of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR).

It pointed out that the FIA Lahore Zone held regular meetings with the NCHR on matters falling within the ambit of the torture and custodial death law.

The FIA said it had already asked the Punjab police chief to transfer all cases of custodial deaths to the agency for further necessary action.

To deal with the large influx of complaints, the FIA also approached the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control for additional human resources, logistics and funds, the report added.

Assuring the court that there had been no intentional delay or neglect on its part, the FIA requested the court to dismiss the petition against it.

JAP Chairman Azhar Siddique asked the court to order transparent judicial inquiries into alleged fake encounters, extrajudicial killings and custodial torture, and to take action against responsible officers.

He also urged the court to make body cameras and monitoring systems mandatory during operations conducted by police departments and to constitute a judicial commission under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act, 2017.

He requested that records and FIRs relating to all such incidents be made public and that the protection of human rights be ensured.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2026