FIR lodged against unknown blasphemers on IHC order

Justice Siddiqui says PM ‘supposed to be aware of this issue’; inaction of executive adding to concerns of ‘entire nation’

ISLAMABAD: On the directions of Islamabad High Court (IHC) to initiate legal action against the blasphemers on social media, Ramna Police Station has lodged an FIR against unknown persons involved in creating pages like Bhainsa, Mochi and Roshni. The FIR produced before the court has been lodged on the complaint of SHO Ramna police station Irshad Ali Abro under sections 295-C, 295-A and 298-A.

On the last hearing, Interior Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan had assured Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui that the government machinery shall be put into motion to stop/eliminate this evil of blasphemy and persons responsible shall be booked in criminal cases under relevant provisions of law.

On Thursday’s proceedings, secretary interior told the court that they had a meeting last day and decided to lodge an FIR against the blasphemers. Chairman PTA told the court that four pages containing blasphemous material have been blocked.

Justice Siddiqui lamented that why this matter was not brought into the knowledge of the prime minister. In his order, Justice Siddiqui noted, "Due to sensitivity and delicacy of the matter, Chief Executive of the country was supposed to be aware of this issue, but it appears that this content has not been brought into his notice, making the worthy prime minister understand that entire nation is sleepless and due to inaction of executive, (it is) finding itself helpless".

The IHC bench directed that secretary information technology shall call a meeting, in which high officials of PTCL, Transworld and Khawaja Saad Saleem from private sector and Iftikhar Ahmed Bashir advocate, being legal expert, may be invited for working out a strategy. The secretary interior may avail services of intelligence and law enforcing agencies of Pakistan, “as patience of entire nation is running out, which may result into serious law and order situation,” Justice Siddiqui directed.

Secretary interior told the court that he shall personally supervise the entire process including action against the culprits, blocking of pages containing blasphemous contents and measures to be adopted to stop this ugly campaign permanently.

Project Director FIA Dr Shafiqur Rehman submitted a progress report before the court. Secretary interior, Advocate General for Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Mian Abdul Rauf, Additional Attorney General Afnan Karim Kundi, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Arshad Mehmood Kiani, Legal Counsel for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Barrister Munawar Iqbal Duggal, Secretary Ministry of Information Technology Rizwan Bashir Khan, Chairman PTA Dr Syed Ismail Shah, Secretary Ministry of Information Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Inspector General (IG) ICT Tariq Masood Yasin, SSP Operations Sajid Mehmood Kiani and Deputy Director Cyber Crime Circle FIA Nauman Ashraf Bodla appeared before the court.

Justice Siddiqui, after issuing the order, put off hearing in this matter till March 13. Last hearing IHC bench had directed the authorities to put names of the blasphemers on Exit Control List (ECL).