Blasphemy suspect Ahmedi man denied bail
LAHORE: Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of an Ahmedi, Tahir Mehdi, who allegedly published blasphemous and hate material.
The court directed the prosecution to submit a challan before the trial court without further delay. Applicant’s counsel Abid Hassan Manto said that Millat Park police had lodged a baseless case against Mehdi on the charges of publishing blasphemous and hate material. He said that the applicant did not publish any objectionable material after issuance of a government’s notification. He said the case should have been registered over alleged violation of the government’s ban, but police included terrorism clauses in the FIR. He said that Mehdi has been behind bars since eight months while police has failed to submit a challan before the trial court.
He requested to grant bail him accused. An additional prosecutor submitted the case record and said the material recovered from the custody of the petitioner was highly blasphemous and provocative. He said the petitioner had a history of blasphemy cases against him, and if released on bail he would continue to publish hate material that could cause religious conflict in society. The complainant in the case had alleged that he had purchased a burger from a joint owned by Imran Nasir and Adnan Nasir. He said he had found copies of Ahmediyya monthly Ansarullah among other publications in the shopping bag containing the burger.
Nasir said editor Ahmad Tahir Mirza, composer Farhan Ahmed, publisher Abdul Manan Kausar and printer Warraich had outraged his religious feelings by printing and circulating the magazine in a bid to propagate Ahmediyyat. He said he had called Rescue 15 after returning to the spot. Nasir said dozens of people had gathered there following the arrival of a police team while the suspects fled in the ensuing pandemonium. An FIR was registered against six suspects on this account.
Blasphemy suspect Ahmedi man denied bail
LAHORE: Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the bail petition of an Ahmedi, Tahir Mehdi, who allegedly published blasphemous and hate material.
The court directed the prosecution to submit a challan before the trial court without further delay. Applicant’s counsel Abid Hassan Manto said that Millat Park police had lodged a baseless case against Mehdi on the charges of publishing blasphemous and hate material. He said that the applicant did not publish any objectionable material after issuance of a government’s notification. He said the case should have been registered over alleged violation of the government’s ban, but police included terrorism clauses in the FIR. He said that Mehdi has been behind bars since eight months while police has failed to submit a challan before the trial court.
He requested to grant bail him accused. An additional prosecutor submitted the case record and said the material recovered from the custody of the petitioner was highly blasphemous and provocative. He said the petitioner had a history of blasphemy cases against him, and if released on bail he would continue to publish hate material that could cause religious conflict in society. The complainant in the case had alleged that he had purchased a burger from a joint owned by Imran Nasir and Adnan Nasir. He said he had found copies of Ahmediyya monthly Ansarullah among other publications in the shopping bag containing the burger.
Nasir said editor Ahmad Tahir Mirza, composer Farhan Ahmed, publisher Abdul Manan Kausar and printer Warraich had outraged his religious feelings by printing and circulating the magazine in a bid to propagate Ahmediyyat. He said he had called Rescue 15 after returning to the spot. Nasir said dozens of people had gathered there following the arrival of a police team while the suspects fled in the ensuing pandemonium. An FIR was registered against six suspects on this account.
Blasphemy suspect Ahmedi man denied bail