Judgment in blasphemy case: IHC hints at calling PM, ministers for defying orders

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday reprimanded the federal government for its non-serious attitude towards implementing its March 31 judgment in a blasphemy case.

The court said if the executive continued the same attitude, it would be constrained to issue a direction for personal appearance of prime minister and ministers for law, religious affairs and information technology to face the contempt of court proceedings.

On March 31, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui through a short order disposed of a set of petitions against blasphemous content on the social media of which a detailed order was issued on August 11.

In the March 31 order, the IHC bench had passed certain directions to the federal government seeking compliance. On Friday, the bench heard the same case seeking compliance of its directions.

On March 31 the bench had directed the FIA to investigate the role of five bloggers in posting blasphemous content on the social media.

The ministry of interior was directed “to identify NGOs operating in Pakistan with an agenda to spread blasphemy and pornography, obviously with financial assistance of different groups within or outside Pakistan.

The bench had directed the interior ministry to proceed against such NGOs in accordance with the law.

In the Friday’s hearing, Special Secretary Ministry of Interior Furqan Bahadur tried to explain the government's steps taken in this regard, but the court observed that the essence of all the statements was 'nothing'.

"The non-serious attitude on the part of the executive is evident from this aspect that a period of eight and a half months has elapsed, but there is no material step taken to implement the judgment dated 31.3.2017," the judge remarked.

Justice Siddiqui expressed his astonishment and said: "I fail to understand why the executive is dealing with this sensitive issue in routine through bureaucratic and political approach. Issues decided through judgment dated 31.3.2017 have direct bearing on the law and order situation in the country, which may put the country in very serious situation."

Expressing doubt about the intentions of the government in implementing the judgment, he said: "There is purposeful effort to defy the judgment, which obviously is a contemptuous act". The court was put off till December 22.