Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set aside a life sentence handed by a High Court to a man accused of burning the pages of the Quran.

The court acquitted Khuda Bakhsh and ordered his release. He had spent four years and eight months in jail.

A three-member bench comprising Justices Asif Saeed Khosa, Dost Mohammad Khan and Sardar Tariq Masoud took up the case for hearing on Monday.

Advocate Shakil Ahmad appeared on behalf of the accused while Balochistan additional prosecutor-general Tahir Khattak assisted the court.

Justice Khosa, while expressing concern over the judgements of the High Court and Trial Court said, “Neither were the allegations proved against the accused, nor was evidence seen. Life imprisonment was awarded without seeing and hearing. As per law punishment is awarded after the offence is proved according to law. The allegation of burning the Quran could not be proved against the accused. It was also not proved if the accused had burnt the Quran or otherwise.”

Justice Dost Mohammad said, “Many other things are also written in Arabic, may be the suspect had burnt something else.”

Justice Khosa added, “If pages of the Quran become old it is said in several areas of the country that they be burnt and, in several areas, it is said that they be flown in water. Maybe the accused has learnt from his elders that the pages be burnt. Acting upon this method, he may have burnt old pages of the Quran. Awarding life imprisonment without seeing or hearing the accused is not correct.”

Justice Dost questioned how much suffering the family of a person who spends 25 years of life in jail despite being innocent had to endure.

“Has any one thought about it? There is no room in our religion for those who are involved in desecrating the Quran but an innocent cannot be awarded life imprisonment merely on the basis of allegation,” Justice Dost said.

Justice Khosa said Quran verses were also published on newspaper pages.

“Has anyone ever thought where they go after they are read,” he asked

Justice Dost urged the government to make a policy regarding waste newspapers — so that verses of the Quran verses would not be desecrated.