Complain Against Punjab Police on 1787: Reply Within 24 to 72 Hours
Call or SMS 1787 to complain against Punjab Police for no FIR, bribes or illegal detention. An SDPO must call in 8 hours. See reply deadlines and next steps.
Short answer: to complain against Punjab Police, call or SMS 1787, the IGP Complaint Centre. It takes complaints about an FIR not being registered, illegal detention, bribe demands, false cases, faulty investigation and slack duty. An officer of SDPO rank or above must call you back within 8 hours. Detention and bribe complaints need a reply within 24 hours, and FIR or wrongful arrest complaints within 72 hours.
The centre is busy, and it works. Punjab Police said on 8 October 2026 that more than 98,000 complaints made to 1787 had been resolved so far this year. Nearly half, 47,152, were about police not registering a case.
We read the Punjab Police page on the complaint centre and its 8 October 2026 update, and we tried the online complaint link on 10 October 2026. The link did not open safely, so the phone and SMS routes below are the ones to use.
Call or SMS 1787 to reach the IGP Complaint Centre
The IGP Complaint Centre is a Punjab Police unit that takes complaints on the short code 1787, by voice call or SMS. Before it existed, people had to post a letter or travel to the Inspector General's office in Lahore. Now the complaint goes straight to a central team.
Punjab Police says the centre also takes complaints by email and online. You can follow your complaint's progress and send feedback by SMS or online at any time. That feedback step matters, as we explain below.
| Route | How | Our note |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | Call 1787 | Best route |
| SMS | Text your complaint to 1787 | Gives you a written record |
| Online form | Linked from the Punjab Police site | Failed a security check when we tried it |
| Emergency | Call 15 | For a crime happening now, not a complaint |
The complaint centre handles seven kinds of police misconduct
The 1787 centre deals with complaints about how police treat you or handle your case. It is not an emergency line. If a crime is happening now, call 15.
Punjab Police lists these complaint types:
- Police not registering an FIR
- Faulty investigation
- Illegal detention
- Arrest of an innocent person
- Registration of a false FIR
- Slackness in duty
- Demand for a bribe
The 2026 numbers show what people actually complain about. FIR registration leads by a wide margin.
| Complaint type | Resolved in 2026, as of 8 October |
|---|---|
| Registration of cases | 47,152 |
| Delayed investigation | 22,339 |
| Departmental and other | 21,851 |
| Recoveries | 7,434 |
| Police services | 7,163 |
| Arrest of accused persons | 5,053 |
| Faulty investigation | 4,849 |
| Cancellation of false cases | 2,287 |
| Change of investigation | 1,682 |
How to make a 1787 complaint that gets action
A clear complaint gets a faster reply. Have the facts ready before you call, so you can give them again when an officer calls back.
- Write down the police station, district, date and what happened, in a few lines.
- Note the name or rank of the officer involved, if you know it, and any FIR or application number.
- Call 1787, or send the same details by SMS so you have a written record.
- Save the complaint number you are given.
- Wait for a call from an SDPO or a more senior officer. Under the centre's rules it should come within 8 hours.
- When the centre checks back with you, say plainly if the problem is not solved.
Keep your phone on. The whole system is built around officers calling you.
Officers must call you within 8 hours and reply within set deadlines
Every 1787 complaint goes to a senior officer, never below the rank of Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO). That officer must call the complainant within 8 hours and tell the centre the contact was made.
| Complaint | Reply deadline |
|---|---|
| Illegal detention | 24 hours |
| Demand for a bribe | 24 hours |
| FIR not registered | 72 hours |
| Arrest of an innocent person | 72 hours |
| All other complaints | Two weeks |
Here is the part most people miss. The centre phones complainants to check the police reply. If you say you are not satisfied, the matter goes to a more senior officer. A complaint is not closed until it is fixed or a senior officer finds it false. So never say "theek hai" just to end the call.
These timelines come from the Punjab Police page on the centre, which was last updated in 2019. IG Punjab Abdul Kareem said on 8 October 2026 that complaints are resolved within the set timelines under the centre's SOPs, and that DPOs now monitor 1787 complaints themselves.
Use the online form only if it opens without a warning
The Punjab Police page links an online complaint form on a Punjab Safe Cities Authority address. When we tried it on 10 October 2026, the connection failed. The site's security certificate was reported as revoked, which means a browser will show a warning.
Do not type your CNIC or case details on any page that shows a security warning. Call or SMS 1787 instead. We will recheck the form and update this page.
If 1787 does not solve it, go to the court
For an FIR the police will not register, the next step after 1787 is the Sessions Judge, acting as Justice of the Peace under section 22-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The steps are set out in what to do when Punjab police refuse or delay your FIR. If you cannot pay a lawyer, you can ask for a free lawyer through legal aid in Punjab.
For routine services such as a character certificate, tenant registration or an FIR copy, the Police Khidmat Markaz services are the faster route, and 1787 is for when those go wrong.
Common questions
What is the Punjab Police complaint number?
1787, the IGP Complaint Centre. You can call or send an SMS.
Can I complain about a police officer demanding a bribe?
Yes. Bribe demands are one of the listed complaint types, and the reply must come within 24 hours.
How long does a 1787 complaint take?
An SDPO or senior officer must call you within 8 hours. Replies are due in 24 hours, 72 hours or two weeks, depending on the complaint.
Can I complain if police refuse to register my FIR?
Yes. It is the most common complaint, with 47,152 resolved in 2026 so far.
Is 1787 the same as 15?
No. Call 15 for an emergency or a crime happening now. Use 1787 to complain about police conduct.
Can I file a Punjab Police complaint online?
Punjab Police links an online form, but it failed a security check when we tried it on 10 October 2026. Use 1787 by phone or SMS.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read these pages and tried the online form on 10 October 2026.
- Punjab Police, IGP Police Complaint Center 1787
- Punjab Police, IGP Complaint Centre update, 8 October 2026
The reply deadlines come from a Punjab Police page last updated in 2019. Punjab Police has not published newer timelines.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
