Blasphemy FIR lodged against Engineer Mirza as Punjab Police deny custody

Religious cleric was detained earlier this week over 'threats of sectarian violence'

The police on Wednesday denied holding Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza in custody after an FIR was lodged against the religous scholar on blasphemy charges over a complaint filed prior to his so-called arrest.

Till Tuesday, Punjab Police had maintained that the cleric was not under arrest and had been taken into "preventative custody" in view of threats of secretarian violence under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) ordinance. The police had insisted that there were no criminal charges against the engineer.

However, later that same day, a blasphemy case was filed against Engineer Mirza under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

Section 295-C of the PPC states that any person, whether spoken or written, who makes derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) shall be punished by death and will also be fined.

Section 11 of PECA pertains to the preparation and spread of any information through any vertical that motivates interfaith, sectarian or racial hate shall be punished with imprisonment for a period of upto seven years and or also a fine.

Read: Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza held in 'preventative detention'

Mirza was taken into custody by Jhelum Police under Section 3 of the MPO on Monday. Under Section 3 of the MPO, the authorities have the power to arrest and detain suspects to prevent “any person from acting in any manner prejudicial to public safety” or to maintain public order.

According to the FIR, filed on Tuesday night at the Jhelum City Police Station, the complainant has alleged that there is an incriminating video of Mirza circulating online that is disrespectful to the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The complainant has also accused the cleric of making incorrect statements when referring to Surah al-Nisa in the said video, also published on Mirza's YouTube channel.

Mirza's YouTube channel has over three million subscibers. He also runs a centre, Qur'an-O-Sunnat Research Academy, which was shut down by the police as well.

Mirza was charged with blasphemy in 2023. He was accused of insulting the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and downplaying the non-Muslim status of Ahmadis. The charges were later dropped.

Blasphemy laws have long been a contentious issue in Pakistan, with repeated calls for the state to curb their misuse.