PM to face contempt of court case

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) has warned that if court’s orders are not complied with in removal of blasphemous content from the social media case then contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against Prime Minister (PM), federal ministers and bureaucrats.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui took up for hearing the case of publication of blasphemous content in social media on Friday.

Special secretary interior Furquan appeared on behalf of federal government while Tariq Asad advocate represented the petitioner.

Special secretary interior told the court that a committee comprising representatives of ministry of religious affairs, ministry of law and ministry of information technology has been constituted under the directives of PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. This committee is working out recommendations with regard to blocking of blasphemous content on social media. The recommendations evolved by the committee during its two previous meetings have been approved by the cabinet.

The judge while expressing displeasure over the reply by the interior secretary remarked that if legislation is enacted within a day to protect an incompetent person, why is the government using dirty tactics on the issue of removal of blasphemous content from social media.

The court ordered the government to implement its March 31 decision by December 22.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui remarked that non-implementation of the courts verdict is beyond comprehension. If the court’s decision is not implemented till December 22 then contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against the PM and ministers. The government has done nothing on implementation of court decision.

Special interior secretary prayed the court committee meeting will be convened and the court decision will be implemented soon.

The court while giving the time to government till December 22 remarked that legislation be enacted for blocking social media pages posting blasphemous content and report be filed before it otherwise contempt of court notices will be issued to PM, federal ministers and bureaucrats.