Blasphemous contents: Court hints at calling PM, ministers
islamabad — The Islamabad High Court has given the government a week to implement its order in a case related to the uploading of sacrilegious content on the social media.
The High Court Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui warned on Friday that in case of non-compliance, the prime minister and other cabinet ministers could be summoned at the next hearing, Dawn online reported on Saturday.
“If the same attitude continues (to be) exhibited by the executive, this court (will) issue directions for personal appearance of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Ministers for Law, Religious Affairs and Information Technology to face contempt of court proceedings,” according to Justice Siddiqui’s order.
The judge recalled that former premier Yousuf Raza Gillani had been sent packing for contempt of court. Justice Siddiqui made the observations as the government failed to submit a compliance report in line with his judgment of March 31, carrying several directions for the government to deal with the proliferation of blasphemous content on the social media.
He said the non-serious attitude of the executive was “evident as eight and half months had elapsed, but no material steps had been taken to implement the judgment”.
The court ordered the Special Secretary Interior to appear with a complete progress report on the matter on December 22 and asked the Interior Ministry “to identify NGOs operating in Pakistan with an agenda to spread blasphemy
If the same attitude continues, this court (will) issue directions for personal appearance of the Pm, ministers for law, religious affairs and IT to face contempt of court proceedings Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, Islamabad High Court Judge
and pornography, with financial assistance of different groups within or outside Pakistan”.
The court also directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to evolve a comprehensive and delicate mechanism to identify the pages/websites containing blasphemous contents in order to take remedial steps.