Bail to blasphemy accused: JI Senator terms SC’s decision a ‘grave mistake’

ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan has termed Supreme Court’s recent decision to grant bail to a blasphemy accused a “grave mistake,” announcing to move review petition in the apex court against its verdict.

Speaking in the upper house of the Parliament on Friday, the lawmaker said, the Supreme Court, in its clarification, stated that the option to file a review petition was open for anyone who felt aggrieved by its decision.

“I will exercise this option because the court’s verdict is marked with grave mistakes. There is a lot of resentment against the apex court’s decision. In the verdict, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has declared that the publication and distribution of misleading translations was not a crime according to Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) Act 2011.

This is a serious mistake committed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan because it (publication and distribution of misleading translations) was a crime according to the aforementioned law,” the legislator said.

The JI senator cited Section 9(1) of the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing And Recording) Act 2011 which reads that a printer, publisher or a proprietor of a recording company who contravenes any provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder, or a person in whose voice a record is prepared, or a person who has certified under Subsection (3) of Section 5, a specimen copy or record of the Holy Quran which is not in conformity with the provisions of this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to seven years but which shall not be less than three years or with fine which shall not be less than one hundred thousand rupees, or with both.

“This law was very much there even before it was amended. After this section was amended, the term of imprisonment and the amount of fine were simply increased,” he said.

“The court must rectify this mistake,” he said, adding there were other serious mistakes in the Supreme Court’s decision.

“Khatm-e-Nabuwat (Finality of Prophethood) is our redline—we cannot leave any space for anyone to interfere on this issue on any pretext,” he said.

Apart from that, the senators from different political parties expressed their concerns in Senate on the issuance of house job licences by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). The lawmakers including Taj Haider and Rubina Khalid from Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Humayun Mohmand and Mehr Taj Roghani from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Shafiq Tareen from Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) shared their views on the matter.

Presiding over the Senate session, Deputy Chairman Senate Mirza Muhammad Afridi sought report from PMDC over the issuance of house job licences. The house was adjourned till coming Monday.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024