F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday said that many misunderstandings have been created owing to the misreporting of a judgment on the release of a person accused of distributing the proscribed literature.
A press release issued by the SC in the matter said that an impression was being given as the apex court violated the Second Constitutional Amendment (interpretation of Muslim) and has directed to abolish the sections of offenses against religion. This impression is completely wrong, it said.
It stated that the SC has ruled that even the accusations of the FIR in this case are believed they didn’t merit the applications of sections charged but rather section V of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1932 related to the dissemination of proscribed literature under which the maximum punishment of publishing proscribed books is six-month imprisonment.
The press release said that the SC accepted the bail of the accused and ordered for his release keeping in view the rulings of Islam, constitutional sections and principles of law and justice, as the concerned person has already spent more than one year in prison.
It further said that it is sad that in such cases sentiments are inflamed and Islamic rulings are used to be forgotten. The written judgment has quoted the relevant verses of the Holy Quran in this context, he added. It said that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa tried to ensure that the interpretation of the law by the court be aligned with Islamic sources of law as well as the country’s constitution.
It further stated that if anyone felt there was a mistake by the court then avenues of legal recourse were always present, which the apex court or the chief justice would never stop anyone from approaching. The verdicts can be criticized within reason but an arranged campaign in the name of criticism without adopting the constitutional path of a review is unfortunate,” the press release added.
