PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Saturday restrained police from interfering in pending civil cases, ruling that police cannot decide matters that were subjudice before civil courts.
The case was heard by a bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Farah Jamshed, while petitioner Sifatullah Khan and the additional advocate general appeared before the court.
Counsel for the petitioner argued that his client’s case was already pending before a civil court, but police had been unlawfully interfering, harassing him, and pressuring him to settle.
He pleaded that police had been organising local jirgas in land dispute cases and coercing parties to resolve disputes outside the legal framework, which was illegal.
In its written judgment, the court held that police interference in civil matters under trial was beyond its authority, as such disputes fall strictly within the jurisdiction of civil courts.
The court emphasised that police officials were bound to act within the limits of the law and could only intervene if a separate complaint was filed. It clearly stated that no interference was permissible in cases already under judicial consideration.
The bench directed police not to harass the petitioner and warned that failure to comply with court orders would result in legal consequences.
