Islamabad High Court Limits Multiple Cases Against Individuals

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has recently issued a significant ruling aimed at preventing the practice of filing multiple cases against an individual for the same offense in different jurisdictions. This ruling comes in response to a petition by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who sought relief from numerous cases filed against him nationwide for derogatory remarks made about PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, in emphasizing the legal principle that individuals cannot be prosecuted multiple times for the same offense, highlighted the misuse of power by political parties to harass their opponents with baseless cases in various parts of the country. The court's decision mandates that only one First Information Report (FIR) can be lodged per incident at the relevant police station.

The ruling clarified that FIRs can only be registered at the police station relevant to the incident, preventing the filing of additional FIRs for the same event. In the case of Sheikh Rashid, whose incident occurred at PolyClinic Hospital in Islamabad, the court dismissed cases filed in other provinces like Peshawar, Lahore, and Lasbela.

One instance involved Sheikh Rashid being accused of using inappropriate language against a former minister in a Karachi FIR, despite the incident taking place in Islamabad. The court's decision serves as a reminder to political parties to avoid filing unfounded cases, as it undermines democracy and the rule of law.

This ruling by the Islamabad High Court underscores the importance of upholding justice and protecting citizens' rights by preventing the abuse of legal processes for political purposes.