Blasphemy plea against Dr Ajmal dismissed

Masiha Millat Party says matter will head to LHC and maybe even to SC.

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions judge (AD&SJ) dismissed the plea for registration of a case under the blasphemy law against Dr Waseem Ajmal, the managing director (MD) of Solid Waste Management (SWM) department. A parliamentary committee of the Punjab Assembly had ordered the police to register an FIR against him.

AD&SJ Muhammad Saeedullah Mughal ruled that workers of SWM were using the FIR as a pressure tactic for political motives. Lawyer for the complainant Muhammad Mushtaq Nagi, Naseeb Anjum Chaudhry, told The Express Tribune the government was behind the decision.

The Punjab Assembly speaker had formed a committee, chaired by the Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Affairs Kamran Michael after Christian workers of the SWM had protested in front of the Assembly. In its report, Michael held, “After hearing both the parties, the MD SWM is found guilty. Departmental proceedings may be initiated against him. The accused officer may be placed under suspension forthwith. Police department may also be directed to take legal action on the application moved by the complainant as warranted under the law/rules.”

Other members of the committee included MPAs Chaudhry Shahzad Elahi, Amir Joel Sahotra, Parvaiz Rafique, Tahir Khalil Sandhu and Khalida Mansoor.

Michael told The Express Tribune that after the committee’s findings, departmental proceedings had been initiated against the MD. He said he had directed the SP concerned to lodge an FIR against the accused. Michael said that the complainant and the protesters had demanded that an FIR be filed under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), punishment of which is death. However, he said, the MD’s offence fell under Section 295 for which the punishment was two-years imprisonment.

Michael said that the Christian community had been the worst victims of Section 295-C and had been protesting to repeal it. How could they justify demanding registration of an FIR under this law.

The petitioner, the general secretary of the Sweepers’ Union, had submitted that they had taken an application to the MD requesting him to lessen the working hours of Christians on account of Lent. He said he along with other leaders had appeared before the MD and requested again that their hours be lessened much like the ease granted to Muslims during Ramazan. Nagi said the MD responded by making derogatory remarks against Christ and their fasts.

Sahotra, head of Masiha Millat Party, told The Express Tribune they had decided to challenge the order before the Lahore High Court.

He said if need be they would take the matter up to the Supreme Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2011.