Institutional Failure: Analyzing CDA and Police Misconduct in the Parishay Khan / CDA Case

The case of Parishay Khan vs CDA Islamabad (Case HRPM-MLORJ30M) serves as a critical case study in institutional overreach. What began as an incident at the CDA Stray Dog Population Control Centre has escalated into a full-scale criminal prosecution under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). This report analyzes the role of the District Courts (East) of Islamabad and the Shahzad Town Police Station in facilitating what appears to be a retaliatory legal action against activists.

Key Findings

Arbitrary Use of FIRs: FIR No. 1626/25 was registered against Parishay Khan following an incident involving the CDA, setting a precedent for using criminal law to settle administrative or civil disputes.

Procedural Velocity: The submission of the Challan U/S 173 Cr. P.C against Farzana Bashir Marwart on February 20, 2026, demonstrates a rapid escalation by the state, often used to intimidate respondents before a defense can be fully prepared.

Opaque Institutional Protocols: The CDA's internal management of the 'Stray Dog Population Control Centre' remains shielded from oversight despite the criminal charges emerging from its premises.

Evidence & Data

The investigative timeline shows a scheduled hearing date of February 20, 2026, seeking to adjudicate 'Farzana Bashir Marwart - VS - The State' before Ahtsham Muqarrab. The key persons involved, including Safina Khann and Bashir Ahmed, represent a network of civil society actors and family members caught in a web of litigation that focuses on the individual rather than the institutional failings of the CDA.

Legal Framework

The prosecution of Parishay Khan triggers concerns under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 7 (Equality before the law). Domestically, the use of Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to fast-track cases of this nature without transparent evidence of criminal intent raises questions of due process under Article 4 of the Pakistan Constitution.

Recommendations

Public disclosure of the CDA's operating procedures for the Stray Dog Population Control Centre during the time of the incident.

A parliamentary inquiry into the use of Shahzad Town Police Station as a primary jurisdiction for CDA-related citizen disputes.

Dismissal of charges if the Challan lacks specific evidence of violent criminal intent as per the PPC requirements.

Read the full case file on HRPM: Case HRPM-MLORJ30M.