Court disposes of blasphemy case against Khursheed Shah

KARACHI:

A district and sessions court disposed of on Wednesday an application seeking the registration of a blasphemy case against leader of the opposition in the National Assembly for 'non-prosecution', nearly a year after it was moved following a political uproar. 

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Khursheed Shah, of using derogatory remarks against the Urdu-speaking community, claiming that his comments were tantamount to committing blasphemy against the Holy Prophet (pbuh) — an offence punishable with death under the Pakistan Penal Code.



MQM's Dr Laila Parveen, along with eight others, had moved an application, contending that Shah, on October 17, last year, had said that for him the word 'Muhajir' [immigrant] was a 'gaali' [abuse]. He was replying to a question asked by some media persons. He asserted that the Urdu-speaking people, who migrated during Independence, were now permanent residents of the country. "I urge my friends to please stop referring themselves as Muhajirs anymore," he said.

His 'Muhajir is a gaali for me' remarks were bitterly taken by the MQM — the party that claims to represent the Urdu-speaking community. MQM lashed out at him for allegedly delivering hate speech and sought an apology. Shah tendered that. Yet the party decided to plead the case.

The MQM parted ways with the PPP, courtesy of other statements made by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against Altaf Hussain, at a gathering.

Penalties proposed for false accusers of blasphemy

Subsequently, an application seeking the registration of a case against Shah was moved by the MQM.

Considering the application, the court had served notices to the relevant SHO to file his comments. The SHO, in his reply, had informed the court that the application was not fit to be converted into an FIR.

Afterwards, the application was put up for further arguments. But, in the later hearings, the plaintiff seemed to be losing interest in the case. The court, after keeping the matter in its cause list, finally disposed of the application for lack of prosecution on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2015.