The petitioner accuses the ambassador of blaspheming on a programme two years ago. PHOTO: FILE
The blasphemy issue is still haunting Pakistan’s ambassador to United States Sherry Rehman.
On Thursday, a two-judge apex court bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali approved a petition, requesting a case to be registered against Rehman under section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), over allegedly committing blasphemy.
The petitioner, Faheem Akhtar Gull, submitted a constitutional petition accusing Rehman of committing blasphemy on Dunya TV’s program "Dunya Meray Aagay" two years ago, and sought the court’s ruling to register a case against her.
The petitioner also alleged that the Multan police refused to lodge a case against Sherry Rehman. After hearing the petition, the bench in a careful manner, directed Multan’s police chief to deal with this matter as per the law.
Gull said that his request was turned down by a lower court and the Lahore High Court Multan bench in which he requested for lodging a First Information Report (FIR) against Rehman.
He also attached decrees of different religious scholars on blasphemy to his petition, but could not identify the specific part from the TV talk show’s transcript where Rehman was wrong.
Gull has been pursuing this case against Sherry Rehman since 2011.
Before her appointment as ambassador, Rehman was one of those parliamentarians who wanted fresh legislation on this issue to stop the misuse of the blasphemy act in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.
COMMENTS (53)
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Want to know something funny? Blasphemy law itself is UnIslamic and it is a blasphemy itself. Anyone who supports or enforces this law is committing blasphemy.
@Haleema: You are totally right but would the petitions be really useful to force the government to take any courageous stand? When the lawyers shower petals of flowers on the murderer of Salman Taseer and there is hardly anyone who dares to even say anything against this murderer,is there any hope left. Yet, I do agree that something has to be done.
@Haleema: You are totally right but would the petitions be really useful to force the government to take any courageous stand? When the lawyers through petal flowers on the murderer of Salman Taseer and there is hardly anyone who dares to even say anything against this murderer is there a hope in left. Yet, I do agree that something has to be done.
@ Raja Rehman - this has nothing to do with an 'attack on democracy'. Not that the democracy experiment has done any good for the masses, but why does any action remotely impacting a People's Party member suddenly become an 'attack on democracy'?!!
@Yogurtlover. you're right. all other muslim countries are learning exactly what NOT to do from Pakistan!
@Tas: The motivations behind this stem from the legislators' deranged understanding of the law fuelling a mindset which is shaming every sane Pakistani. Collective petitions forcing the government to amend such absurd laws is the solution. Sadly, every Pakistani is just complacent - as long as they're not an oppressed religious minority or outspoken secular liberals, how critical is the blasphemy to their existence?
It is totally pathetic to watch that in this 21st century where the rest of the world is advancing in the various fields of science and technology, in Pakistan the discussion and precious time is centred on the blasphemy law. The only fortunate thing is that most of the people in this country find all this ridiculous. Will we ever be able to get out of the Middle Ages? It is outrageous to see that the Spreme Court is waisting its time and making Pakistan a laughing stock to the whole world. What are the motivations behind?
People don't even know what blasphemy is and they put innocent peoples' lives at risk. Insanity prevails in this society! Shame on Mr. Gull and the court!
Excellency - you should feel proud, you have been elevated to be among people like Quaide Azam, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan et all. Congratulations.
@Raja: They say little knowledge is dangerous. Anyways, don't you remember the case of a school principal? Or you just don't know about it?
This is entertaining, and I am going to ask my elected representatives in the US house and Senate to consider withholding any aid to Pakistan. Pakistan does not need it if it supports its official representatives in this way.
How stupid Retard Quran teaches tolerance and in the Allah wants Muslims to live in Peace with the people of the book. Do not make a mockery of the laws Pray to Allah and learn to forgive
This is called a Govt. of checks and balances. The judiciary and the police can only use the law books they have and not what the sincere bloggers wish. Pakistan poltical elites have failed to decolonise the country which since independence has been relying on colonial laws.
Rex Minor
@Haris Chaudhry:
"Words cant describe the insanity and spinelessness that our nation and its flag bearers of justice show when dealing with cases like blasphemy"
Why blame the "flag bearers of Justice" for the blasphemy "problem"? What is in the blasphemy laws of Pakistan that is not preached in the Quran and the Hadiths?
Once Pakistan decided to make its constitution conform to Islamic teachings, there is no way out of not instituting the blasphemy and other Islamic laws. You can't eat the Islamic cake and complain afterwards you don't like it.
@Arijit Sharma: "Wasn’t this Qadri guy responsible for framing the blasphemy laws ?"
TUQ's views on the blasphemy law depend on the audience : TUQ claims credit for framing the law in a Pakistani audience. to Western mdeia he claims he had nothing to do with framing it. When trying to obtain asylum in Canada he claims that his life was in threat due to the blasphemy issue because he met the Danish cartoonist.
The one Qadri whose stance on blasphemy is beyond question is the one who shot dead Taseer.
@Aijaz Haider: "Sorry. Like Rehman Malik I often do loose talk".
Ability to laugh at oneself is a gift. Salute.
This Supreme Court is leading a radicalized country into further abyss. They are stifling any debate or dialog against the populist ultra conservative mindset that is slowly eating away the nation. This is the same court which found nothing wrong in the actions of the Lal Masjid Maulana brothers' actions, and put the burden on the state to prove what the brothers and their followers was doing was illegal !
Wasn't this Qadri guy responsible for framing the blasphemy laws ?
@Bloom: This is simply pathatic, Molvi Mushtaq is still alive around us
Molvi Mushtaq was the old standard. The new bottom is Molvi Iftikhar.
Supreme court should at least try to have a look at the video of Dunya TV before jumping with joy to ask police to register case
This is simply pathatic, Molvi Mushtaq is still alive around us
How come mostly women are targeted with this law? Sherry Rehman is the third consecutive woman booked under blasphemy law. Interestingly not a single Pakistani politician has spoken in her favor. Feel sorry for Ms Rehman.
Not a Fan of Sherry Rehman, but she doesn't deserve this. How does the Supreme Court not see there are bigger issues than this non-issue facing us today. Someone seriously needs to get this law sorted out, it makes no sense at all.
This is retarded even by Pakistani standard. Out of control itself is going out of control!
This proves it...can't say about much about Bhutto but Zia-ul-Haq is still alive..!!!
Pakistan has many problems, but its greatest burden in the ossified nature of its predominant religion.
@Yoghurt lover: Sorry. Like Rehman Malik I often do loose talk.
Sherry Rehman will seek political asylum in the US.
PPP should change their name
As someone commented on twitter that though CJP has been reinstated, however, he still needs to reinstate his sanity. These remarks tells all about our Superior Courts and their cheap methods to create a constituency.
For people who are always accusing India of creating bad PR for Pakistan in US, how do you think this is going to play out when they find out that even Pakistani ambassador to US cannot escape fake blasphemy case?
@ Mirza, rightly said sir. Higher judiciary is quite vigilant and never dare to cross red lines set by dreaded terrorists. Some how higher judiciary has to show its might and independence by addressing the complaints of peace loving innocent citizens. Core of the problem is, most of our innocent peace loving citizens have least rather no reservations/complaints against Talibans and other terrorist outfits, they believe root cause of their agony is politicians, so teach them lesson so no one ever dare to become a politician, if arm-brandishing bearded stuff crops up, then O.K., because they know they will at least get rid of tedious judicial process and thereby fiercely independent judges.
@Aijaz Haider: "If I remember right Sherry Rehman had apologised and deserves to be forgiven."
Who the heck are you or someone else to forgive anyone unless they have done something to you personally?
If she has done any damage to Islam, it's Allah's job to forgive her or punish her. Who the heck are you?
Never ending drama.
@Mohammed Abbasi: Laughing stock not in the Islamic world alone, but the entire world.
Lools like Pakistani courts are running out of serious cases. CJ, Please give them paid leave to travel overseas.
Ambassador will have to get asylum from her own country.
If I remember right Sherry Rehman had apologised and deserves to be forgiven.
oh am loving it
This is pathetic .... and horrible!!
This is another attack from the Establishment on democracy immediately after TUQ.
@Mohammed Abbasi:
"Pakistanis are fast becoming a laughing stock in the Muslim world with the horrible way they are using Islam to fight political battles"
That's a very very interesting point. Because Pakistan is a laughing stock in the rest of the world for almost a decade now.
However, when you mention muslim world, you have to know that muslim world is not monolithic. I am sure that the experiments with Islam in Pakistan is appreciated by some muslim countries at least.
The independent high judiciary of Pakistan loves democracy and justice! While no murderer or terrorist is ever caught and those caught by poor police are let go without exception by the judiciary. However, it is prompt to take pre-mature actions against elected officials. They would jump at every frivolous case as if they have no cases pending for decades.
Use of Islam to justify every wrong doing ....
Is supreme court serious??
What madness is this? Have we lost all our sanity?
"He also attached decrees of different religious scholars on blasphemy to his petition, but could not identify the specific part from the TV talk show’s transcript where Rehman was wrong."
What a joke!
How those "different scholars" issued decree ? and why SC ordered this?
Justice Jamali you disappointed me.
I thought Moulvis were only outside the courts
And what exactly did she say?
Pakistanis are fast becoming a laughing stock in the Muslim world with the horrible way they are using Islam to fight political battles - maybe its time to charge those who shout blasphemy the loudest - with blasphemy!
RIP Pakistan.
Another Ambassador to the US bites dust ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ She cannot return to Pakistan anymore.
Words cant describe the insanity and spinelessness that our nation and its flag bearers of justice show when dealing with cases like blasphemy.
Creating an environment of fear and inability for the populace to even discuss these laws render the whole nation without the ability to discuss and amend this law.
That the petition was even admitted tells volume on how the mainstream population has capitulated on the behest of clergy and its violent followers.
This will spark a new round of global news and discussions on the sad state pf affairs of this unfortunate country. Those living within it rarely realise how much of a global-headache this nation has become.
We keep lowering ourselves to new lows..