RAWALPINDI:
The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore Excessive Courtroom (LHC) has issued directives to the federal and provincial governments to take instant motion towards blasphemy on social media, together with the prevention of blasphemy towards the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the holy Quran, and all sacred personalities.
The courtroom, in its 16-page detailed judgement, additional ordered the instant termination of all varieties of VPNs, the registration of all social media web sites, and the institution of particular courts nationwide, just like NAB and Anti-Terrorism Courts (ATCs). It additionally ordered the appointment of devoted judges for these courts, the creation of a particular wing throughout the Federal Investigation Company (FIA) to fight blasphemy, and the institution of a Counter Blasphemy Division (CBD) modeled after the Counter Terrorism Division (CTD).
Moreover, the courtroom instructed the observance of Worldwide Islamophobia Day because the “Day of Honour for the Prophet” yearly on March 15.
The courtroom issued these pointers after approving all associated petitions filed by Umar Nawaz and Aamir Zafar. An in depth 16-page judgment was launched relating to the petitions, which sought to curb the rising marketing campaign of blasphemy on social media and referred to as for strict actions.
Within the ruling, Justice Abdul Aziz issued directions to the federal and Punjab governments, the FIA, the PTA, and the Ministry of Inside (MoI), urging them to determine NGOs that help the publication or importing of such content material below the guise of freedom of expression.
The courtroom additionally directed conferences with social media platforms like Fb and YouTube to tell them concerning the sturdy sentiments of the Muslim neighborhood and demand the instant removing of such offensive posts. The FIA’s Cybercrime Wing was directed to be empowered with extra sources and funding. The courtroom additionally really useful together with materials within the academic curriculum to encourage kids to make use of social media positively.
The judgment harassed that the Pakistani state should play an energetic position in ending the rising development of blasphemy on social media, with the PTA conducting consciousness campaigns by importing constructive movies. Moreover, people committing blasphemy who’ve psychological well being points ought to be handled, and preventive measures should be taken to keep away from incidents just like the Sialkot tragedy, Gojra incident, Shanti Nagar, and the killing of the Sri Lankan supervisor in Sialkot.
The courtroom really useful the formation of Knowledgeable Councils of students on the divisional and district ranges to stop vigilante justice and be certain that suspects are swiftly detained, adopted by clear investigations. Instances ought to then be formally registered and authorized motion taken.
The courtroom expressed sturdy dissatisfaction with the position of state establishments and directed the PTA to develop an instantaneous mechanism to take away blasphemous materials from social media platforms. It additionally ordered that bloggers concerned in such crimes who’ve fled overseas ought to be introduced again to face authorized motion.
The detailed judgment has been despatched for instant implementation to the federal and provincial governments, chief secretaries, related ministries, FIA, PTA, the MoI, and social media firms.