ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has given the
federal government a week to implement its order in a case related to
the uploading of sacrilegious content on social media.
IHC
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui warned on Friday that in case of
non-compliance, the prime minister and other cabinet ministers could be
summoned at the next hearing.
“If the same attitude
continues [to be] exhibited by the executive, this court [will] issue
directions for personal appearance of the worthy prime minister of
Pakistan, ministers for law, religious affairs and information
technology, to face contempt of court proceedings,” read Justice
Siddiqui’s order.
The judge added that the “respondents
may realise this aspect that in contempt matters, no protection under
Article 248 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan is
available”.
He recalled that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani had been sent packing over contempt of court.
IHC judge gives federal govt one week to furnish compliance report in line with his directions
Justice Siddiqui made these observations as the government
failed to submit a compliance report in line with his judgement of March
31, carrying several directions for the government to deal with the
proliferation of blasphemous content on social media.
He
expressed displeasure when Special Secretary Interior Furqan Buhadur
detailed the steps taken by the executive in order to comply with the
court’s directions.
The secretary informed the court that
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had constituted a committee
consisting of representatives from the ministries of law and justice,
information technology, information and broadcasting and interior.
“In my estimation, the essence of all these statements is nothing,” Justice Siddiqui observed.
He
added that the non-serious attitude of the executive was evident from
the fact that eight and half months had elapsed, but no material steps
had been taken to implement the judgement.
“I fail to
understand why the executive is dealing with this sensitive issue in
routine through bureaucratic and political approach (sic),” he stated,
adding that the “issues decided through the judgement have direct
bearing on the law and order situation in the country, which may put the
country in very serious crisis.”
The judge remarked that
the federal government tabled an amendment to retain an ineligible
person as the party head overnight, but it was shocking that amendments
to discourage the uploading of blasphemous content had been delayed for
months.
Subsequently, the court has ordered the special secretary interior to appear with a complete progress report on Dec 22.
In
its order, the court had ordered the interior ministry “to identify
NGOs operating in Pakistan with an agenda to spread blasphemy and
pornography, obviously with financial assistance of different groups
within or outside Pakistan”.
The court had directed the
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to evolve some comprehensive
and delicate mechanism to identify the pages/websites containing
blasphemous contents in order to take some remedial steps with
promptitude.
Justice Siddiqui had observed that
availability of blasphemous material on social media has direct bearing
on the integrity, security and defence of Pakistan.
He
remarked that all the institutions needed to rise to the occasion in
order to protect the ideological and geographical boundaries of the
country.
Also, the IHC had ordered the authorities
concerned to include sections related to blasphemy and pornography in
the cybercrime act.
Justice Siddiqui had also ordered
that the top leadership of the country needed to become pro-active on
the issue for raising a ‘national firewall’ enabling Pakistan to monitor
internet traffic and all users.
