By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: A Lahore court has discharged three women arrested in a customs-related case, citing serious procedural deficiencies in the police investigation.
The court, however, did not question the legality of the customs operation itself, which resulted in the recovery of undeclared commercial goods at the airport.
First Information Report (FIR) No. 66/25 was registered at Sarwar Road Police Station under Sections 353, 427, and 186 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), naming Noor Fatima, Summan, and Alisha, all residents of Hafizabad.
According to official documents, customs authorities intercepted the passengers at Lahore Airport upon their arrival from Riyadh via Flight 49-854, acting on prior intelligence.
During luggage screening, officials recovered 24 digital cameras and approximately 40 kilograms of Indian bridal wear—items suspected to be commercial goods subject to declaration and duty.
Customs officers, including Inspector Amna Jabbar and other female staff, were present during the inspection.
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It was alleged that the accused resisted the recovery process, verbally abused officials, and attempted to forcibly reclaim their luggage.
One female customs official reportedly had her uniform torn during the scuffle.
At the remand hearing, the learned magistrate observed that although the FIR was legally registered, the police investigation failed to meet statutory requirements.
The Investigating Officer (IO) admitted in court that he did not visit the scene of the alleged incident, did not record statements of relevant witnesses under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and failed to collect any CCTV footage or other digital evidence.
Moreover, the torn uniform and related physical evidence were not produced before the court.
The magistrate noted that mere nomination in an FIR is not sufficient to justify judicial remand without corroborative evidence.
Consequently, the court declined the police request for judicial custody and ordered the immediate release of the accused, unless they were required in any other pending case.
The court also directed that a show-cause notice be issued to the Investigating Officer for failing to conduct a proper inquiry in accordance with the law. It was clarified that this procedural lapse does not nullify the customs action, which may proceed separately through relevant legal channels.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior customs official stated, “Our officers conducted the recovery in line with standard operating procedures and acted within the legal framework.
Weak police follow-up undermines institutional efforts against illicit trade.”
Legal analysts say the court’s ruling highlights the importance of coordination and procedural integrity in cases involving multiple enforcement agencies.
