Pakistan, Oct. 17 -- The Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP) has ruled that a Rs500 fine for a minor offence cannot permanently disqualify a candidate from police recruitment, particularly when the candidate has not concealed his criminal record.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi dismissed an appeal filed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police chief, upholding the Peshawar High Court's decision in favour of Hanifullah. In its written judgment authored by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, the court observed that a minor offence should not affect a person's entire life. The nature of the offence, punishment and likelihood of future criminal conduct must be considered.

Hanifullah was fi...