Blasphemy allegations: Lahore school principal remanded, bail rejected
Asim Farooqi, 77, was remanded in custody for 14 days on charges of blasphemy despite arguing he had no direct part in the case.
One of his teachers, Arfa Iftikhar, was forced into hiding after a furious mob stormed Farooqi Girls' High School in Lahore over a piece of homework she set.
"The bail petition is dismissed," Judge Anjum Raza announced after hearing arguments from Farooqi's lawyer.
The lawyer, Jawad Ashraf, had asked for bail on the grounds the principal had no role in the incident.
"The principal of the school can only be held responsible for negligence and has no direct role in the blasphemy incident, he should be released," he told the court.
About 10 clerics from local mosques gathered at the court to oppose the principal's release.
But at the same time around 2,000 students, parents and teachers gathered at the school to demand its reopening, carrying placards and chanting slogans which included: "Release our principal."
The school management on Friday took out front page adverts in two leading newspapers to deny any knowledge of the supposed insults, saying Iftikhar distributed the work just 10 minutes before the school closed for the Eidul Azha holiday.
Ashraf said the possibility of a conspiracy against the school, one of the most successful in Lahore, could not be ruled out.
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1726722687-0/Express-Tribune-Web-(9)1726722687-0-270x192.webp "instability hurts progress cm punjab")
people who against this law ,this law in quran so you are going to amend quran , the principle deserse this action ,i knew this principle personally my neighbour school
When the God created the world he created every thing in such a way that every is Blanaced. When the Mullas have gone even more mad as they were less in the past so the public opinion is getting against the LAW. Actually they will be responsible for the change in Law but blame the Seculars. That is why " NADAAN DOST SE DANAA DUSHMAN ACHA HEI""""
The law is being used for settling scores. Judiciary, just carried away!
@observer: "What does a certain Mr Khan propose to do in this case? Will he step forward with his ‘hard core ideologue’ identifying device, please?"
The device has been beeping to high heavens but the battery in the hearing aid is a little weak...
@just kidding: "at least people would now realize that we dont discriminate with our minorities. "
Ah but I would argue that being logical, supportive of scientific education for girls and tolerant of 'others' puts you in the minority in Pakistan.
All principals of all schools should resign. Nobody knows whose turn is when to face the music. Taliban wanted girls not to be educated. Pakistan wants none to be educated. pathetic. Is Pakistan worse than taliban ?
kalim
The matter of blasphemy can't be brushed under the carpet. He might claim anything now to save himself, but there is a chance he is not totally innocent. Unless that possibility is removed, he can't and shouldn't be let go.
What is the retirement age for a teacher in Pakistan? Is the guy not entitled for a pension at the age of 55?
Rex Minor
@just kidding: "at least people would now realize that we dont discriminate with our minorities. "
I would argue that anyone speaking up for scientific education and for tolerance is in a minority. So the target is not just a religious minority but an ideological minority.
I may not be wrong assuming that bulk majority of those who are protesting against the principal who has been jailed may neither be knowing the text which is believed to be objectionable nor they would know what counts to be blasphemy but mob mentality has taken over prudence and the result is right before you. I very much regret to know that the learned judge did not agree to accept his bail application but why not when neither the principal himself wrote the derogatory remarks nor he ordered the teacher to do alike. We have turned out to be none but a laughing stock and other than Pakistanis must be jeering at us but who cares. I wish we resort to reason and prove as a truly prudent nation unless we are our own enemies. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait
Shame on the supporters of this black law.
If anything this so called blasphemy law is the real blasphemy against Islam
This extremism is being driven by many different segments of society, this includes politicians and the media. Others I don't want to name, but you can fill in the blanks yourself. So this is not going to stop or get better. Its only going to get worse. After centuries, the West learned that political power should not be given to the priest, we have only ceded it to him, and continue to do so. Madrassas will continue to increase and churn out street thugs in ever increasing numbers, every day someone will be accused of blasphemy and killed and so on.
What does a certain Mr Khan propose to do in this case?
Will he step forward with his 'hard core ideologue' identifying device, please?
dear pakistanis...please understand..the taliban and mullas are going to runover your land in max 2 years..do you remember the attak on a girls schools in rawalpindi the capital of military a few months back .i wrote then that this is a omen of things to come....what can you do now ????????? you internet people are a very small minority with no voice. just pack your bags and with your family flee pakistan .
Well under the Azaad Adalia in Pakistan,
A. Terrorists walk free.
B. Sectarian mass murderers are released for want of evidence.
AND
C. 74 year old teachers are denied bail
D. Abducted Hindu teenage girls are handed over to their abductors.
E. Elected Prime Ministers are dismissed.
Can anyone tell me on whose side does the Azad Adalia stand?
'77-year old principal remanded despite his plea that he had no direct role in it.' A dangerous and shiver-worthy reminder how low has this country sunk.
May Allah save Islam from these Mullahs!!
The day is not far when every one will accuse his neighbour of blasphemy.
Islamic Republic??? What a joke! I thought a central tenet of Islam was that only God can Judge? These kind of incidents make Islam and Muslims look medieval. The Islamic World is in its Dark Ages :-( Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would weep at what is being done to protect his good name. Persecution of minorities including Ahmdis is against the teaching of Islam. Tragically the majority of Muslim are ignorant of the Koran.
@zain: "Any idea what was in this test?"
Does it matter? First of all the principal should never have been arrested since he/she had nothing to with the supposed act of blasphemy. On top of that the judge denies bail....which is not denied to Jadoon who tried to falsely implicate Rimsha, not denied to Lal masjid mulla and so on. Tomorrow your neighbour could falsely accuse you of blasphemy to settle some personal dushmani and your parents/siblings would also have to run away. Does hat make you comfortable about the vigilantism that is prevailing in society? Remember this incident is happening in Lahore NOT FATA.
Wasting time on non-issues. That's what this law is indulging the whole nation into.
It doesnt matter now. Even if the principal and the teacher are acquitted, their life is meaningless in Pakistan, land of the Pure. The puriest will not let them live in peace. Better now start thinking which country now to settle?
@Fed Up Indian: For once I admit that an INDIAN is saying the right thing....our nation is becoming more like a bunch of man eating, man hunting, irresponsible, highly aggressive, easily perturbed and highly skeptic minded with no tolerance, patience or love towards both outsiders as well as our own kith and kin.....this is certainly no Islam.... Islam teaches tolerance and patience and advising others soberly and honorably rather than taking law in ones own hand......
Ashraf said the possibility of a conspiracy against the school, one of the most successful in Lahore, could not be ruled out.
When Pakistanis are gonna come out of this Conspiracy Syndrome.
those charged with rape, murder, terrorism, can bail quickly.. but not a 77 year old man who clearly has no involvement in the case. Chief justice?? Political parties?? Anyone?
You harvest what you sow. This was bound to happen the day you cheered for the blasphemy law.
Why these thing happen in Punjab side mostly .
Sir Asim Farooqi is **innocent** Administration of school should have to be remained under the control of Sir Asim.The SC says you guys let loose almost 200 murders/thugs and you won't provide bail to a school principal? BTW what ever happened to the disabled Christian falsely accused of Blasphemy - that seems to have fallen off the radar - equally important what happened to the Imam who orchestrated the false accusation? Pakistan has a terrible reputation for misusing the Blasphemy laws and should eliminate them.
Quite disapointed that people r not wanting the culprit to be prosecuted
If we analyze the only this case, we will find that the root of this lies in the Madersas opened under the patronage of General Zia Era to promote so called Jehad against the Russia financed by US and Arabs. Now we are reaping the crop of the decisions of that era. No one can now stand in front of these students of madersas in our society throughout the country, what to say about a civil judge in of a lower court. However, I think that if the old educationist was given bail, we might be reading the news item that the principal of the school was shot dead immediately after release on bail, and the killer has become the hero of the society like the assasanotor of Salman Taseer. Is there any judge or justice who has couraged to issue the death warrant of Mumtaz Qadri, or any officials has courage to execute these orders. Sadly my answer is "NO". Just pray for the betterment for our society.
Politics of Balasphemy.Isnt shameful for us, we are making Pakistan a dangerious state for its indegenous.
"About 10 clerics from local mosques gathered at the court to oppose the principal’s release." what didn't they tell that people establish prayer.Allah will ask about prayers not false allegation.
Wow, principals don't get bail over homework and terrorists/mass murderers like Hafiz Saeed get bail because there's not enough "evidence". The "land of the pure" never fails to amuse!
"Ashraf said the possibility of a conspiracy against the school, one of the most successful in Lahore, could not be ruled out." Pakistanis...
What a country. What a society.
Taleban calling all pakistanis to oppose modern education.....lol
Justice cannot be done amidst of this madness. Please send them to India where they will have a chance to live in freely again without much cultural shock.
Any suo motto? will the poor teacher be given justice? Is Asia bibi still languishing in jail? Her children still into hiding from the blood thirsty hyenas?
It seems to me that the judge is a coward and has taken the easiest way out by denying bail to a 77 year old man.
Will we ever see anyone in Pakistan who is willing to stand up and raise their voice against this lunacy anymore, or have all dissenting voices been quelled forever?
Any idea what was in this test?
this law should be scrapped and NOW..enough circus of mullaism. good for the people who demonstrated to reopen school.