Islamabad, April 21 (Express Tribune): The Islamabad High Court judge Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui has said that the availability of blasphemous material on social media has a direct bearing on the integrity, security and defense of Pakistan.
All Pakistani institutions need to rise to the occasion to protect the ideological and geographical boundaries of the country, he said.
The IHC had also ordered the authorities concerned to include sections related to blasphemy and pornography in the Cyber Crimes Act and investigate non-governmental organizations that are operating in Pakistan “with an agenda to spread blasphemous content and promote pornography”.
Justice Siddiqui has also ordered that the top leadership of the country to become proactive on this issue and come up with a national “firewall” that would enable the country to monitor its internet traffic and users.
Justice Siddiqui is a controversial figure, who is accused of being in cahoots with Islamic extremist outfits. According to Daily Times a reference is pending with the Supreme Judicial Council against him on charges of corruption and abuse of authority. The reference was filed by Ali Anwar Gopang, a former officer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
“It needs to be mentioned here that the Pakistan Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association and other lawyers’ organizations have been demanding that all references pending against different judges on priority basis conclude,” Daily Times said.
On Friday an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) sent four men, who are facing charges of posting blasphemous content on social media, to jail on judicial remand till May 4.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced the suspects before ATC Judge Kausar Abbas Zaidi and said they were no longer needed for a physical remand.
FIA officials told the judge that the four men were arrested on suspicion that they were sharing blasphemous material on social media. The ATC will now take up the case on May 4.
On March 22, the FIA had informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the four men were booked for blasphemy, criminal conspiracy, and offences under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
(The featured picture at the top shows Islamabad High Court Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui)
