IHC seeks ISI's assistance on blasphemous content

NUZHAT NAZAR

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought assistance from the country's premier intelligence agency -- Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) -- in order to stop circulation of sacrilegious contents on social media.

With directives to the agency to send one of its senior officials by next date of hearing on March 22, a single-judge bench of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui resumed hearing on the petition seeking removal of blasphemous content from the social media.

The judge asked advocate general Islamabad Mian Abdul Rauf to apprise the court about the steps taken by the government to block and permanently remove blasphemous web pages, progress on amending the Cyber Crimes Act and enabling the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to act against those uploading blasphemous and objectionable contents as well as identification of bloggers involved in blasphemy.

Rauf told the court that the blasphemous contents have been removed and the government has expressed serious concern to the Facebook management on the issue, adding that the social media platform has appointed a team which will visit Pakistan in near future.

He also apprised the court about the progress to identify the persons for uploading blasphemous contents. He told the court that since the blasphemy is an offence in Pakistan Penal Code and there was no need to include it in Cyber Crime Act.

Director FIA Mazharul Haq Kakakhel informed the court that they are interrogating about 75 persons in connection with blasphemy case and the FIA, in consultation with a lawyer, is also considering to take up the matter before International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The court expressed dissatisfaction over the reply of the advocate general Islamabad and the FIA.

Justice Siddiqui then asked the governments counsel to ensure attendance of attorney general in next hearing, and remarked that the court would also consult the religious scholars and would seek their input on misuse of blasphemy law.

Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Absar Alam Khan was also present in the court. On courts query regarding airing of obscene contents on television channels, he conceded indecency in some TV shows.

He told the court that PEMRA stopped broadcast of Indian movies and dramas and also issued directions against airing of programmes that promoted violence.

An additional secretary of information ministry apprised the court about the steps taken by the ministry to publicize Article 19 of the Constitution which ensures freedom of information with reasonable restrictions.

The court adjourned further hearing in this case till March 22.