Islamabad: Supreme Court deplored “Unfortunate” criticism aimed at it over judgment ordering release of person accused of distributing supposedly proscribed religious literature.

Religious parties, social media users and banned militant Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan group recently took exception to SC decision, with reaction coming almost two weeks after apex court’s order on an appeal against verdict of Lahore High Court.

 In press release issued, apex court said misreporting of its verdict was creating “Many misunderstandings” with impression being created that court had denied Second Amendment (September 1974), designed to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims, or called for elimination of relevant sections for crimes against religion in country’s legal codes. “This impression is completely wrong,” SC stated.

Apex court’s press release said that even if accusations in first information report for case were believed, they did not merit application of sections charged but rather Section 5 of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1932, related to dissemination of contents of prescribed documents.

Press release stated that as per abovementioned section, maximum sentence of six months imprisonment could be given, of which petitioner had already served year and thus, he was released on bail considering Islamic rulings, constitutional sections and principles of law and justice.

“It is sad that emotions flare up in such cases and Islamic rulings are forgotten,” apex court said, adding that written verdict quoted relevant verses of Holy Quran.

It added that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa strove to ensure that court’s interpretation of law aligned with Islamic sources of law as well as country’s Constitution.

“Legal verdicts can be criticised within reason but orchestrated campaign in name of criticism without adopting constitutional path of review is unfortunate,” press release added.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 23 2024

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