IHC directs govt to act against Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam tweets

IT ministry can put the matter of Dutch lawmaker’s tweets in front of cabinet before taking action, reads court order

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday directed the government to take effective measures to block the tweets of Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders.

A petition was filed in the IHC, seeking global action against Wilders, known for his anti-Islam views, over blasphemy attempts.

The petition stated that Wilders’ blasphemous act has hurt the feelings of more than one and a half billion Muslims across the world, therefore the Dutch ambassador should be summoned and a strong protest should be recorded against the blasphemous act.

Read more: Geert Wilders' right-hand man converts to Islam

The four-page order was penned by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani in which the court has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the IT ministry to take measures in this regard.

The order said that the IT ministry can put the matter in front of cabinet before taking any suitable action, urging the government to implement the court's decision over blasphemous content on social media.

IHC, in its verdict, said that the Dutch politician has been tweeting anti-Islam messages therefore the court took the decision in the public's interest.

Also read: Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker backtracks on blasphemous caricature contest

It is necessary to instruct the government to take appropriate measures to protect the feelings of Muslims, it added.

The petition sought an order from the court for the government of Pakistan to demand action from the Dutch government against Wilders, and to raise such incidents of blasphemy at international fora. It also demanded that Geert Wilder’s Twitter account should be immediately blocked in Pakistan.