Alleged hate speech: Court reserves verdict on plea to book Lal Masjid cleric

Petitioner claims police did not follow up on his complaint

ISLAMABAD: A sessions court on Monday reserved its verdict on a plea seeking the registration of a hate speech case against Lal Masjid cleric Abdul Aziz.

Petitioner Jibran Nasir had sought a criminal case against Aziz for allegedly causing sectarian hatred and hurting the religious sentiments of a community.

Nasir claimed that the cleric allegedly indulged in a hate speech against Shias during a Friday sermon delivered on January 8, 2016. Following the speech, Nasir filed a complaint with the Aabpara police but no action was taken on his complaint. Later, he moved the court in a bid to get an FIR registered against Aziz.

Nasir had also submitted supporting documents to the court including a recording of the sermon in question. Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Adnan heard the arguments on Monday.  Moazzam Habib, Nisar’s counsel, requested the court to order the police to book Aziz.

The police, in their reply, informed the court that they had entered the complaint in their daily diary and had sought a legal opinion on it from the law ministry. After hearing the arguments, the court reserved its verdict and adjourned the hearing till November 26.

In September, a judicial magistrate had acquitted Aziz in a separate hate speech case registered against him by the Aabpara police.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2016.