Incitement of hatred: Junejo confirms case lodged against ASWJ

ISLAMABAD:

Senior Superintendent of Islamabad Police Operations (SSP) Asmatullah Junejo on Monday confirmed that an FIR had been registered against Ahl-e-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) leaders for alleged use of hate speech during a rally on Saturday.

“An FIR has been registered and some people have been nominated for violating the terms set by the administration and breaking their promises,” Junejo said, adding that no separate team has been constituted to investigate the alleged offence.

The case was registered under Section 295-A (blasphemy) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The police, however, have not made any arrests yet.

“We cannot look the other way when violations are made. We will go after whoever violates the law,” said the SSP.

At the same time, Aabpara Police Station House Officer Khalid Mehmood denied that any such case had been registered.

Ironically, documents available with The Express Tribune show that the SHO is also the complainant in the case.  When pressed with this information, he asked for some time before he could commewer the phone later in the day.nt on the issue. He did not ans

When Junejo was asked why the SHO was denying that a case had been registered, he flatly responded, “There is no need to fear anybody.”

ASWJ Islamabad spokesperson Hafiz Oneeb Farooqi said they were ready to face the charges in court. He said the police registered the case against ASWJ leaders under pressure from their rivals. Farooqi said such cases had been registered against the party in the past as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2014.