Academic Junaid Hafeez sentenced to death on blasphemy charges by Multan court

[MenInG]

A district and sessions court on Saturday sentenced Junaid Hafeez, a former university lecturer in Multan, to death on blasphemy charges.

Formerly a visiting lecturer at the Department of English Literature of the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, Hafeez was booked on blasphemy charges and was arrested by police on March 13, 2013. The trial of the case started in 2014.

According to Amnesty International, Hafeez, who was also in the process of getting a graduate degree in English Literature, was charged with blasphemy over Facebook uploads.

Read: The untold story of Pakistan’s blasphemy law

Additional Sessions Judge Kashif Qayyum sentenced Hafeez to death and a fine of Rs0.5 million under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC); in case of default he will undergo further imprisonment of six months.

He was also sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 295-B, and 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000 under Section 295-A of the PPC.

According to the court's short judgement, "All the sentences shall run consecutively and the accused would not be entitled to the benefit of Section 382-B CrPC because in case of blasphemer, this court has got no circumstance for taking [a] lenient view and it is also not permitted in Islam."

Under Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code, the period of detention of a prisoner has to be considered in the prison term when a person is convicted by a trial court.

Defence attorney Shahbaz Gormani said his client was wrongly convicted and that the verdict would be appealed.

Hafeez has been lodged in the high-security ward number 2 of New Central Jail Multan.

His previous lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in May 2014 in his office. At least nine judges were transferred through the course of Hafeez's case.

Prosecutor Athar Bukhari said Hafeez had spent three years in the United States under a special programme for Pakistani educators.

The prosecutor said investigators retrieved anti-religions material from Hafeez's laptop after his arrest.

The academic's parents had earlier this year appealed to former chief justice Asif Saeed Khosa to look into their son's case. They sought justice for their son, fearing for his mental and physical health.

They had said their son had been languishing in solitary confinement in a cell of the Central Jail, Multan, for the last six years on the false charge of blasphemy.

“Due to transfer of many judges, delaying tactics of prosecution witnesses, and difficulties finding adequate legal counsel for the defence because of the sensitive nature of the case, our son continues to await justice in a fabricated case,” Hafeez's parents had said in a written appeal to the chief justice.

Blasphemy in Pakistan
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence. Anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam, risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes.

Rights groups have said the blasphemy laws are routinely abused to seek vengeance and settle personal scores.

In 2017, a mob in Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan beat up a student, Mashal Khan, to death after accusing him of blasphemy over social media.

Meanwhile, last year, the Supreme Court acquitted Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman earlier condemned to death on blasphemy charges, after accepting her appeal against her sentence. So far, no one has been executed for blasphemy in the country.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1523521/a...to-death-on-blasphemy-charges-by-multan-court

 

[MenInG]

WASHINGTON: The United States has retained Pakistan among the countries that tolerate religious discrimination, says a US State Depart*ment statement released on Friday.

The determination, made on Dec 18, includes Myanmar, China, Erit*r**ea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkm*enistan among the states that have been re-designated as “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)”.

Spoiler

The State Department makes these designations under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and countries on the CPC list are classified as “having engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom”.

Countries in this category can face further actions, including economic sanctions, by the United States.

The State Department also renewed the placement of Comoros, Russia and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List (SWL) for governments that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom”, and added Cuba, Nicaragua, Nigeria and Sudan to this list.

Sudan was moved to the SWL due to significant steps taken by the civilian-led transitional government to address the previous government’s “systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom”.

The watch list includes countries where religious freedom conditions do not rise to the statutory level requiring CPC designation, but which require close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the governments.

The State Department also designated Al-Nusra Front, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, Al Qaeda, Al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan and Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern.

“These designations underscore the United States’ commitment to protect those who seek to exercise their freedom of religion or belief,” the State Department said. “We believe that everyone, everywhere, at all times, should have the right to live according to the dictates of their conscience.”

https://www.dawn.com/news/1523484/us-retains-pakistan-on-religious-watch-list

 

[Abdullah719]

Any update on the lawyers who attacked PIC?

Nope, zilch. Pathetic.

 

[MenInG]

Any update on the lawyers who attacked PIC?

Nope, zilch. Pathetic.

Pakistan judicial system doing some strange things now.

 

[Pakistanian]

Pakistan is stuck in the middle ages.

 

[MenInG]

A university lecturer in Pakistan has been sentenced to death for blasphemy.

Junaid Hafeez, 33, was arrested in March 2013 and accused of posting derogatory comments about the Prophet Mohammed on social media.

Allegations of blasphemy are taken very seriously in Pakistan, and even an accusation is often enough to make someone a target for hardliners.

Mr Hafeez's first lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in 2014 after agreeing to take on the case.

The lecturer has also spent years in solitary confinement, after repeated attacks by other prisoners.

The sentence was delivered by a court in the Central Jail in Multan, where Mr Hafeez was being held.

Spoiler

Mr Hafeez had studied a Master's degree in the US on a Fulbright Scholarship, specialising in American literature, photography and theatre.

After returning to Pakistan he took up a lecturer position at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) in Multan, where he worked until his arrest.

Mr Hafeez's current counsel Asad Jamal said the verdict was "most unfortunate", and told AFP news agency that they would appeal against the decision.

Prosecution lawyers, meanwhile, distributed sweets to their colleagues, who chanted "Allahu akbar" and "death to blasphemers".

Amnesty International said the verdict was "a gross miscarriage of justice" and described it as "extremely disappointing and surprising".

What are Pakistan's blasphemy laws?
Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry strict sentences, including death, for anyone who insults Islam.

The offences relating to religion were first codified by India's British rulers in 1860, and were expanded in 1927. Pakistan inherited these laws when it came into existence after the partition of India in 1947.

These early laws made it a crime to disturb a religious assembly, trespass on burial grounds, insult religious beliefs or to intentionally destroy or defile a place or an object of worship.

Under these laws, the maximum punishment ranged from one to 10 years in jail.

But between 1980 and 1986, a number of clauses were added by the military government of General Zia-ul Haq.

Gen Haq wanted to "Islamicise" them and also legally to separate the Ahmadi community, declared non-Muslim in 1973, from the main body of Pakistan's overwhelmingly Muslim population.

The new clauses made it illegal to make derogatory remarks against Islamic personages, introduced life sentences for "wilful" desecration of the Koran, and later, introduced the death penalty or life imprisonment for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.

About 40 people are currently on death row for blasphemy - although so far, no executions for blasphemy have been carried out.

The blasphemy laws have been under the spotlight internationally after Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian who spent eight years on death row, was freed from prison last year, following a Supreme Court decision which overturned her conviction.

Her release sparked riots, and she had to seek safety in another country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50878432

 

[Ronaldo7]

Doesn't mean much.
iirc, no one has ever been executed because of blasphemy. Whoever gets convicted of it gets released due to public pressure.

 

[Pakistanian]

Doesn't mean much.
iirc, no one has ever been executed because of blasphemy. Whoever gets convicted of it gets released due to public pressure.

His lawyer was freakin murdered, this guy has been languishing in jail for years cause of Pakistan's overly sensitive and radicalized majority.

 

[barah_admi]

Without specifics what did he do ?

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

Where’s Conde Nast when you need to it?

 

[Ronaldo7]

Without specifics what did he do ?

Blasphemy

 

[Ronaldo7]

If he's truly guilty then I don't see anything wrong with this

You have to live according to the law of the land. If you don't then don't be surprised if you're punished.

 

[Pakistanian]

If he's truly guilty then I don't see anything wrong with this

You have to live according to the law of the land. If you don't then don't be surprised if you're punished.

That makes no sense, so the law in India against Muslims is justified? Or the racist segregation laws that existed in America and South Africa were also right just cause it's the "law"?

 

[moghul]

And no one in Pakistan will have courage to protest against this shameful and ridiculous court decision.

 

[moghul]

If he's truly guilty then I don't see anything wrong with this

You have to live according to the law of the land. If you don't then don't be surprised if you're punished.

So change the stupid law , written by shameful moulvis, don't kill a person for nothing. This law is nothing to do with religion.

 

[Ronaldo7]

That makes no sense, so the law in India against Muslims is justified? Or the racist segregation laws that existed in America and South Africa were also right just cause it's the "law"?

I didn't say that it was the right thing to do. I just said that it's the law so should he respected. If people have a problem with it then they need to let the government know, posting sympathy stuff on twitter ain't gonna do anything.

 

[Ronaldo7]

And no one in Pakistan will have courage to protest against this shameful and ridiculous court decision.

So change the stupid law , written by shameful moulvis, don't kill a person for nothing. This law is nothing to do with religion.

There's a reason why no one has ever been executed due to this law. The reason is that there's too much domestic and international pressure.

I'm 100% sure that this execution will not take place.

People are abusing this law a lot. If you don't like somebody just say that they've committed blasphemy. But in this case, the police actually saw the blasphemous facebook posts that were posted by the guy so that's on the guy now. It's his fault. He knew that is was illegal but still he proceeded to do it so I have no sympathy for him.

But I would like this law to be changed. Find a middle way.
A fine should be the maximum punishment so the right wing can be happy so can the liberals. With our current law, we're really giving out medieval vibes here and it's not good for our image.

 

[Pakistanian]

I didn't say that it was the right thing to do. I just said that it's the law so should he respected. If people have a problem with it then they need to let the government know, posting sympathy stuff on twitter ain't gonna do anything.

Nah dumb laws should never be respected, otherwise black people in America would never have gotten their rights, countries would never have been free from colonialism. The only way to change laws is through protest and resistance such as civil disobedience.

 

[Stewie]

I know I will be vilified for my comments but I think the blasphemy laws are draconian and absolutely disgusting. Islam is the one true religion and I refuse to believe that God or his Prophet PBUH would ever condone such methods if someone says something that doesn’t agree with our philosophy. God will eventually judge such people.. In our country, these laws are abused to settle scores or harass people or for political benefit.

Our nation cheers while inhumane evil people perpetrate this horror on our own people, minorities and intellectuals. I am shamefully disgusted by this mess.

 

[Rana]

Imagine committing one careless mistake and having to pay for it with a lifetime of fear.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Anyone committing blasphemy should face the full fury of the state. Zero tolerance for insulting religion.

 

[moghul]

There's a reason why no one has ever been executed due to this law. The reason is that there's too much domestic and international pressure.

I'm 100% sure that this execution will not take place.

People are abusing this law a lot. If you don't like somebody just say that they've committed blasphemy. But in this case, the police actually saw the blasphemous facebook posts that were posted by the guy so that's on the guy now. It's his fault. He knew that is was illegal but still he proceeded to do it so I have no sympathy for him.

But I would like this law to be changed. Find a middle way.
A fine should be the maximum punishment so the right wing can be happy so can the liberals. With our current law, we're really giving out medieval vibes here and it's not good for our image.

So what even if he did that, the law is wrong and he should not be punished. I did my own search and had a chance to talk to some REAL Islamic scholars, there is no real religious bases of this law, should be abolished.

 

[Gilly]

Anyone committing blasphemy should face the full fury of the state. Zero tolerance for insulting religion.

Any religion or just islam?.

 

[Pakistanian]

Any religion or just islam?.

He's Hindu

 

[Stewie]

On the flip side (while I have expressed my extreme disgust at the draconian blasphemy laws), these enlightened intellectuals seem to think they can simply reverse the thought process of our entire nation that has been brainwashed into believing ridiculous religious ideas.. this guy spent a few years in the US and seems to think he can come back and over write all those years by spreading his “enlightened liberalism” ... we still don’t know exactly what was said, but surely he shouldn’t have been that stupid.

You begin by taking smaller steps. I feel really sad for him but sounds like he is a smart guy and he should have known better!

 

[Dingolfy]

Religion is the bane of subcontinent. Keeping us poor and dumb for centuries.

 

[saeedhk]

A miscarriage of justice. I have research this case intensively and I can tell you that the allegations are wrong.

The allegations arose after he started to promote religious harmony and invited speakers to give talks on religious co-existence. The Ismali Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) was enraged because it saw this as a challenge to their existence in the campus. He was accused of blasphemy and thrown into prison for six years before being sentence to death two days ago.

 

[King_Kohli]

Was sentenced to death on Saturday because of insulted Prophet Muhammad and Quran
Pakistani university lecturer Junaid Hafeez, 33 has been imprisoned without trial for six years.

Already 6 years in jail.. are u kidding

 

[Stewie]

I have searched and searched and surprised that there is almost zero info on what he said or did..

 

[ElRaja]

stupid law people are religiously guilt tripped into supporting.

the irony is any person who would argue to repeal the law would implicitly be accused of being a blasphemer, a lose-lose scenario.

 

[Jin Chacha]

Comparing the coverage given to the Musharraf verdict and this decision tells you a lot. No matter which side of the debate one is on, at least there is a debate in the Musharraf case with journalist’s, tv anchors and even the govt openly stating their opinion on the issue. There are no opinion pieces or discussions on this case. Even news reports are careful to stick to basic facts and avoid taking any position. Just shows how afraid of the mob everyone is.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

We are a medieval joke of a country. I have no hope for Pakistan anymore

 

[Mamoon]

Has Imran tweeted?

 

[DeadBall]

We are a medieval joke of a country. I have no hope for Pakistan anymore

Are you preparing to fill Mamoon's position during his upcoming sabbatical?

I do agree with most of your sentiments and frustrations but you have become severely pessimistic of late.

 

[Bel_Homme]

Has Imran tweeted?

No tweet on this yet. Then he will give lecture on human right violations come next UN meeting.

 

[Ronaldo7]

No tweet on this yet. Then he will give lecture on human right violations come next UN meeting.

Many countries had the blasphemy law.
Some states in Australia still have it.

So where does "human right violations" come into this??

No one has ever been executed due to this law.

 

[JaDed]

Are you preparing to fill Mamoon's position during his upcoming sabbatical?

I do agree with most of your sentiments and frustrations but you have become severely pessimistic of late.

Its his age I think, age of idealism..

 

[Hitman]

Has Imran tweeted?

He will tweet when he has the time, but about India.

 

[MenInG]

He will tweet when he has the time, but about India.

Thing is India has so much happening there, it gives him plenty of stuff to talk about.

 

[Hitman]

Thing is India has so much happening there, it gives him plenty of stuff to talk about.

Will be honest, it’s getting tiresome. I don’t understand how is it any of his business what happens in India as long as it doesn’t involve Pakistan.

 

[Bel_Homme]

Many countries had the blasphemy law.
Some states in Australia still have it.

So where does "human right violations" come into this??

No one has ever been executed due to this law.

Can you please give an example who in Australia has been put under solitary confinement for 6 years for expressing his views? Stop being so defensive about everything. You were so critical about citizenship law in India but justifying blasphemy law simply because no one got executed yet of it?

 

[Hitman]

Many countries had the blasphemy law.
Some states in Australia still have it.

So where does "human right violations" come into this??

No one has ever been executed due to this law.

Yea, spending 6 years in solitary confinement is not a violation of human rights. Neither were human rights violated in Asia Bibi’s case when she spent 10 years in jail, afterall she wasn’t executed.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Yea, spending 6 years in solitary confinement is not a violation of human rights. Neither were human rights violated in Asia Bibi’s case when she spent 10 years in jail, afterall she wasn’t executed.

So being in solitary confinement is a violation of human rights now??
So criminals who are in jails for whatever reason should be released because it's "a violation of human rights"?

The only violation happening here is that there is a lack of freedom of speech.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Can you please give an example who in Australia has been put under solitary confinement for 6 years for expressing his views? Stop being so defensive about everything. You were so critical about citizenship law in India but justifying blasphemy law simply because no one got executed yet of it?

Here's a list of the counties who have criminalised blasphemy. There are 71 of them. The degree of punishment varies:

https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Blasphemy Laws Report.pdf

 

[Hitman]

So being in solitary confinement is a violation of human rights now??
So criminals who are in jails for whatever reason should be released because it's "a violation of human rights"?

The only violation happening here is that there is a lack of freedom of speech.

And there in lies the problem with you. You can wake up a sleeping person, but not someone pretending to sleep.

 

[Ronaldo7]

The only reason people care about this law is due to the death penalty

If that death penalty is removed and is confined to imprisonment I doubt anyone would batter an eye.

All Pakistan needs to do here is that they should remove the death penalty for blasphemy. No one's being convicted anyone so what's the point?

Keep it to imprisonment if you really want such a law.

 

[Ronaldo7]

And there in lies the problem with you. You can wake up a sleeping person, but not someone pretending to sleep.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp....-state-government-life-sentence-cow-slaughter

Is this true? ^

Look at this too:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattle_slaughter_in_India

One thing you need to remember is that we're third world countries. Such HR violations are extremely common in our countries. So singling out Pakistan is not the right thing to do.

 

[Bel_Homme]

Here's a list of the counties who have criminalised blasphemy. There are 71 of them. The degree of punishment varies:

https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Blasphemy Laws Report.pdf

You are going in circles and falling prey to your own lies. Hence I said in the beggining, stop being so defensive about everything.

You said where is the human right violation in this case? How is putting someone in solitary confinement is not a violation of human rights?

Then you said Australia also had same law. I asked can you give an example from Australia of such blatant human right violation? Obviously you couldnt.

And now you are saying...as long as death sentence is removed for blasphemy...its all cool? So basically...anyone with a contradicting/atheist view can be put under solitary confinement without trials as long as there is no death sentence?

I know you are blatantly trying to defend Pakistan at any cost (which is totally fine) but atleast use some better excuse.

 

[Ronaldo7]

You are going in circles and falling prey to your own lies. Hence I said in the beggining, stop being so defensive about everything.

You said where is the human right violation in this case? How is putting someone in solitary confinement is not a violation of human rights?

Then you said Australia also had same law. I asked can you give an example from Australia of such blatant human right violation? Obviously you couldnt.

And now you are saying...as long as death sentence is removed for blasphemy...its all cool? So basically...anyone with a contradicting/atheist view can be put under solitary confinement without trials as long as there is no death sentence?

I know you are blatantly trying to defend Pakistan at any cost (which is totally fine) but atleast use some better excuse.

Being an atheist won't get you into jail.
Insulting the Quran will.

Regarding the Aus thing, I'm showing you that it's in the LAW in some states. I said to you that if someone hasn't been executed then it isn't AS bad and then Hitman replied by saying that I'm wrong. So the same logic should apply here too.

Also, I asked you that do you think being imprisoned for a crime is a human right violation??

So being imprisoned due to robbing someone is a HR violation??

It's a simple question

 

[ReverseHit]

I hope the ruling is overturned in a higher court, and maybe he gets to leave Pakistan and apply for asylum in Europe/Canada. We all should be allowed the freedom to ridicule religion, religious texts and religious figures without the fear of death or imprisonment.

 

[troodon]

Pakistan is an Islamic country. They should implement Sharia as PM Imran said that he wants Pak to be Riasat-e-Medina.

As per Sharia, anyone who insults Muhammed should be dealt with death. The punishment for blasphemy is all over the Sirah of Prophet Muhammed.

Though it is wrong to kill anyone just for an insult, it is what it is in Islamic countries.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

A university lecturer in Pakistan has been sentenced to death for blasphemy.

Junaid Hafeez, 33, was arrested in March 2013 and accused of posting derogatory comments about the Prophet Mohammed on social media.

Allegations of blasphemy are taken very seriously in Pakistan, and even an accusation is often enough to make someone a target for hardliners.

Mr Hafeez's first lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was shot dead in 2014 after agreeing to take on the case.

The lecturer has also spent years in solitary confinement, after repeated attacks by other prisoners.

The sentence was delivered by a court in the Central Jail in Multan, where Mr Hafeez was being held.

Spoiler

Mr Hafeez had studied a Master's degree in the US on a Fulbright Scholarship, specialising in American literature, photography and theatre.

After returning to Pakistan he took up a lecturer position at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) in Multan, where he worked until his arrest.

Mr Hafeez's current counsel Asad Jamal said the verdict was "most unfortunate", and told AFP news agency that they would appeal against the decision.

Prosecution lawyers, meanwhile, distributed sweets to their colleagues, who chanted "Allahu akbar" and "death to blasphemers".

Amnesty International said the verdict was "a gross miscarriage of justice" and described it as "extremely disappointing and surprising".

What are Pakistan's blasphemy laws?
Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry strict sentences, including death, for anyone who insults Islam.

The offences relating to religion were first codified by India's British rulers in 1860, and were expanded in 1927. Pakistan inherited these laws when it came into existence after the partition of India in 1947.

These early laws made it a crime to disturb a religious assembly, trespass on burial grounds, insult religious beliefs or to intentionally destroy or defile a place or an object of worship.

Under these laws, the maximum punishment ranged from one to 10 years in jail.

But between 1980 and 1986, a number of clauses were added by the military government of General Zia-ul Haq.

Gen Haq wanted to "Islamicise" them and also legally to separate the Ahmadi community, declared non-Muslim in 1973, from the main body of Pakistan's overwhelmingly Muslim population.

The new clauses made it illegal to make derogatory remarks against Islamic personages, introduced life sentences for "wilful" desecration of the Koran, and later, introduced the death penalty or life imprisonment for blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad.

About 40 people are currently on death row for blasphemy - although so far, no executions for blasphemy have been carried out.

The blasphemy laws have been under the spotlight internationally after Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian who spent eight years on death row, was freed from prison last year, following a Supreme Court decision which overturned her conviction.

Her release sparked riots, and she had to seek safety in another country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-50878432

Who are the mullahs handing out celebratory barfee? These types should be nowhere near any decision making, their waistlines tell a story of a lifetime's poor decisions.

 

[Flat_Track_Bully]

Pakistan is an Islamic country. They should implement Sharia as PM Imran said that he wants Pak to be Riasat-e-Medina.

As per Sharia, anyone who insults Muhammed should be dealt with death. The punishment for blasphemy is all over the Sirah of Prophet Muhammed.

Though it is wrong to kill anyone just for an insult, it is what it is in Islamic countries.

Only a fool would adopt laws and values from 7th century riasat whatever. What people do for saudi money. This is not the Imran I know.

Junaid's life means far more than the feelings of a mob. I don't care you feel insulted, get over it.

I have petitioned for his release and hopefully apply pressure through diplomatic channels. Evil prevails when good men do nothing. As long as there are Pakistanis like me in this world this will not be tolerated.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Only a fool would adopt laws and values from 7th century riasat whatever. What people do for saudi money. This is not the Imran I know.

Junaid's life means far more than the feelings of a mob. I don't care you feel insulted, get over it.

I have petitioned for his release and hopefully apply pressure through diplomatic channels. Evil prevails when good men do nothing. As long as there are Pakistanis like me in this world this will not be tolerated.

Instead of trying to release him from prison (which you should do), if you really want to help him then try to stop the "blasphemers" being arrested in the first place.
As I've said before, no one has been hanged due to blasphemy and I don't think anyone will ever will. Liberals want the blasphemy law to be revoked but I don't know how realistic that is. If it does happen, then Pakistan will definitely gain more respect in the world.

 

[MenInG]

LAHORE: A Punjab Assembly committee has decided to ban distribution of three books by different authors, besides a daily newspaper, and initiate legal action against more than hundred social media IDs for allegedly containing blasphemous contents.

The Special Committee-6, which met at the assembly secretariat here on Thursday under the chair of Law Minister Muhammad Basharat Raja, decided to ban publication and/or distribution of The First Muslim and After the Prophet, both works by foreign author Lesley Hazleton, and History of Islam by Mazharul Haq. It also decided to ban publication of daily ‘Al-Fazl.

The committee decided to move police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for immediate action against the social media IDs, at least 127, containing blasphemous material.

The minister lamented that there were a number of foreign and local books in the market containing blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) and other prophets, as well as against his companions and his family, that hurt feelings of the Muslims. Such material, he added, must be banned.

He said as only the federal government could act against imported books, therefore, the issue had been raised in the National Assembly and now it was lying with a Standing Committee of the lower house of the parliament.

He promised taking solid steps against publication of blasphemous contents and for the purpose representatives of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and other relevant departments and agencies would be summoned in the next meeting of the Special Committee-6.

Those who attended the meeting included Punjab Mines Minister Hafiz Ammar Yasser, MPAs Mian Shafi Muhammad and Muhammad Ilyas, representatives of school education, law, home, higher education and information technology departments, Punjab Textbook Board (PTB) as well as advocate-general.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1527428/b...ans-three-books-a-daily-social-media-accounts