ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday observed that extremism was the remains of late military dictator General Zia-ul- Haq. A two-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Qazi Faez Isa observed this while hearing a plea in a case involving alleged sacrilege of the pages of the Holy Quran. After hearing the arguments of counsel for the appellant and the state prosecution, the court acquitted the appellant (accused) Mansha due to lack of evidence. During the hearing, Justice Khan noted that people were fastened with the trees and beaten up severely during the regime of General Ziaul Haq and “we are still facing its consequences in the shape of extremism.” He said one who levels a baseless and false allegation of blasphemy or sacrilege on anyone himself commits blasphemy. He said filing of cases and prosecution of those who commit blasphemy was the responsibility of the state. Justice Isa noted that the witness of the occurrence of the instant sacrilege was deaf and dumb, thus how the case of sacrilege was registered. Lawyer of the prosecution side stated that the witness was the cousin of the accused. Justice Isa noted that in the materialistic age of today, a brother was killing his own brother. Rizwan Ijaz, counsel for the accused, stated that the case was registered against his client on September 29, 2008, and he had undergone nine years of incarceration. Justice Khan stated that taking labour works from the prisoners having over 60 years of age in the jails was cruelty and worst type of exploitation. Published in Daily Times, December 30th 2017.