A phone gets snatched at a bus stop. You go to the nearest police station. The officer writes your statement in a register, reads it back to you, and you sign it. That record is your FIR.
FIR stands for first information report. It is the first report of a crime that reaches the police. Under section 154 of the CrPC, the officer in charge has to write down the information you give, read it back to you, get your signature, and enter it in the station register. That page starts every criminal case in Pakistan.
What makes an offence cognizable?
Under section 4 of the CrPC, a cognizable offence is one where police may arrest without a warrant. Theft, robbery, hurt, murder and most serious offences fall in this group.
For minor offences the rules are different. Police enter your information in another book and refer you to the magistrate. They cannot investigate without the magistrate's permission (section 155 of the CrPC).
What the police must do when you report a crime
- Write your statement down (section 154 CrPC).
- Read it back to you.
- Take your signature or thumb mark.
- Enter it in the FIR register of the station.
Section 154 of the CrPC and chapters 24 and 25 of the Police Rules, 1934 put this duty on the officer in charge. In Fahad Junaid versus Province of Sindh (2025, High Court of Sindh), the officer in charge cannot refuse to record a statement that discloses a cognizable offence. The Supreme Court said the same in Syed Qamber Ali Shah versus Province of Sindh (2024 SCMR 1123): police cannot hold an inquiry into whether your information is true before registering it. A false FIR is checked later, and the filer can be prosecuted under sections 182 and 211 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
What an FIR is not
An FIR is not evidence of what happened. It is the first version of events. Courts use it to check whether your later statements match what you told the police at the start. If the versions clash, your later statements lose weight.
An FIR is also not a complaint in the legal sense. Under section 4 of the CrPC, a complaint goes to a magistrate and the FIR goes to the police. They are two different tracks, and you can use both.
What happens after the FIR?
Once the FIR is recorded, the police investigate (section 156 of the CrPC). They record witness statements, collect evidence, and decide who goes to court. When the investigation ends, they send a report to the magistrate through the public prosecutor (section 173). This is the challan.
If the investigation is not finished within fourteen days of the FIR, the police must send an interim report to the court. The magistrate decides whether the case proceeds to trial. In the higher courts, you can check your high court case status online.
What if the police refuse to register your FIR?
They cannot legally refuse, but it happens.
- Send your information in writing to the Superintendent of Police or the District Police Officer.
- File an application before the Justice of Peace. Under section 22A of the CrPC, the Justice of Peace can direct the police to register a case on a complaint about non registration.
- Apply to a magistrate under section 156(3) of the CrPC. The magistrate can order the police to investigate.
- File a private complaint before a magistrate, who can take cognizance of the offence directly.
Keep a copy of everything you submit.
Can you check your FIR online?
Yes, in most provinces. The Punjab Police app, the Sindh Police system and the Islamabad Police portal all let you check the status of an FIR. The steps for every province are in our guide on how to check your FIR online in Pakistan, and for every portal read how to check an FIR online in Pakistan. If you want to check your own CNIC, read how to check for an FIR against your CNIC in Pakistan. To file one, read how to file an FIR online in Pakistan.
Is the law changing?
Parliament has been amending the CrPC through 2025 and 2026. The bills under discussion add online FIR registration and a zero FIR system. The current code is on the Federal Ministry website, the proposed changes sit in the National Assembly record, and the Sindh High Court order on the duty to register FIRs is on the Sindh High Court case law portal.
What this means for you
If a crime happens to you, go to the police station of the area where it happened. Give your statement, make sure it is written down and read back, and sign it. Keep the FIR number safe.
If you are the person named in an FIR, remember an FIR is only an allegation. You still have the right to a fair investigation and a fair trial under Article 10A of the Constitution. If you cannot afford a lawyer, free legal aid in Pakistan can help.
Violence at home has its own law. See the guide to domestic violence law in Pakistan.
If your private images are shared without consent, that is a crime too. The revenge porn law in Pakistan guide explains the penalties and the complaint route.
With that FIR number you can check the status of your FIR online.
If the police arrest you over the FIR, read how bail works in Pakistan and know your arrest rights in Pakistan
If the FIR is against you and the matter is false or settled, read how to cancel an FIR in Pakistan for the legal routes.
Read more on the Lexiber blog or ask a legal AI with cited sources in English or Urdu.
Drinking alcohol in Pakistan is banned by its own special law. Our guide to the alcohol law in Pakistan explains the penalty and the permit system.
In Punjab you can check an FIR online in Punjab via Dastak, and for the document itself see how to get a copy of your FIR online in Pakistan.
If your phone is stolen, PTA can block it by its IMEI. See how to block a stolen phone in Pakistan.
If the police are the problem, see where to file a complaint against police in Pakistan.
Ask Lexiber free in English or Urdu. It shows you the exact section behind every answer.
