IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui announces detailed verdict on blasphemous content case
Shares
ISLAMABAD: (APP) The Islamabad High Court disposed of petition seeking blockage of material containing blasphemy on social media with direction to the government toward building scientific and comprehensive mechanism to deal with such evil in future.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui passed the direction while hearing a plea moved by Salman Shahid against the ongoing uploading of blasphemous material on social media.
After going through the arguments placed by the litigants the court passed its short order stating that the Federal Investigation Agency would proceed with the investigation of the case purely on merits in accordance with law.
The bench remarked that "sensitivity of the issue demands that in case of any fresh complaint, same might be incorporated to conduct initial inquiry and then to proceed in accordance with law".
Pakistan Tele Communication Authority was directed to evolve some comprehensive and delicate mechanism to identify the web sites containing blasphemy contents in order to take some remedial steps with promptitude.
The bench directed Chairman PTA to ensure that a scientific mechanism was evolved to bring awareness about the blasphemy and pornography with penal consequences under the law.
The Secretary Ministry of Interior might be constituted a panel or committee with participation of concerned individuals or departments to launch a comprehensive campaign in order to erode the blasphemous contents from the social media, identification of persons involved in this sinful act and to deal with them in accordance with law, court ordered.
The court maintained that since Attorney General had already taken an initiative with regard to insertion of blasphemy and pornography in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 and also to address the issue of penal consequences of false accusation of blasphemy, it was expected that authorities concerned would proceed in the matter by appreciating the delicacy of the issue to take some appropriate steps within one month.
Justice Siddiqui ordered that as far as action against five bloggers, who left Pakistan was concerned, it was directed that F.I.A authorities would proceed in the matter in accordance with law and if any incriminating material was available, then bloggers might be brought back to Pakistan but with due process, in order to initiate the proceedings under the law of land.
The Ministry of Interior would also Identify NGOs operating in Pakistan with an agenda to spread blasphemy and pornography, obviously with financial assistance of different groups within or outside the Pakistan and they may also be dealt with in accordance with law.
Meanwhile Attorney General had submitted a copy of summary sent to the Prime Minister along with copy of letter dated 30.3.2017 addressed to Secretary Ministry of Interior, Islamabad by Director Legal, Ministry of Information Technology (IT & Telecom Division) for insertion of offences under Chapter XV of Pakistan Penal code, 1860 in the schedule of Federal Investigation Agency Act, 1974.
On previous hearing Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui appreciated ministries of interior and information for making efforts to devise a strategy for containing blasphemy on social media.
