The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday barred Islamabad police from filing any FIR against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leadership over the Roza Rasool (PBUH) incident.
During the hearing of a case related to the registration of an FIR against the PTI leadership over their alleged profanity and desecration of Roza-e-Rasool (PBUH) through their workers, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed that the matter should be investigated and the court should be satisfied before filing any such FIRS and the federal government can also give similar advice to provincial governments.
The IHC judge said that religion must not be abused to settle political differences.
Addressing PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry, the IHC chief justice said that unfortunately a lot has happened in the past (regarding use of religion for politics) but such FIRs should not have been registered and the federal government should remain in touch with provincial governments to ponder what is the solution?
The deputy attorney general told the court that citizens have their own own feelings, “but I am not defending them”.
Fawad Chaudhry stated that incessant blasphemy cases can create a serious law and order situation which can also claims lives of people.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah observed that the federal government cannot take that it has nothing to do with these FIRs.
When Fawad Chaudhry told the court that “we have resigned from the assembly,” the judge replied that “unless the election commission issues a notification regarding the resignations, it cannot be considered as resignation.”
When Deputy Attorney General Tayyab Shah told the court that an FIR has been registered and is under investigation, IHC Chief Justice questioned “How such an FIR could be registered.
Advocate Faisal Chaudhary, who was representing Fawad Chaudhry and others, told the court that when there is no government in Punjab currently and the government approval is required to register an FIR regarding blasphemy.
“It is the responsibility of the state not to allow the use of religion for political purposes and allowing so itself tantamount to committing blasphemy,” IHC Chief Justice Athar Manallah observed.
Advocate Faisal Chaudhary while quoting a report from Islamabad police inspector-general said that four applications were under investigation over the Masjid Nabvi (PBUH) incident at different police stations.
“It is the political leadership that creates tolerance in the society, the Sri Lankan citizen and Mashal Khan fell victim to the same mindset, whatever happened was disgusting but it is not right to register cases against them,” IHC Chief Justice Athar Manallah observed.
“No government has used blasphemy laws against political opponents, we have not to resort to rioting, we do not have to become ministers by climbing on each other’s bodies
