Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Reacting to the presence of blasphemous contents on social media, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the concerned authorities to dispatch the material tothe Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and remarked that the premier should know what was happening in the country.

The bench also directed the authorities to block web pages showing sacrilegious contents at social sites.

“The Prime Minister will be summoned if needed,” the court observed, and directed the authorities to inform the premier about the proceedings of the case.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui heard the case lodged by Salman Shahid during which he ordered Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to block the entire social media if necessary and take action against elements involve in the crime.

The bench remarked that if such contents were not restricted in a timely manner, more Mumtaz Qadris would take law into their own hands.

During the hearing, the judge said that social media was defaming the country’s name and that the IT department along with other related departments should fulfil their obligations in this regard.

The court directed the information technology secretary to call a meeting to map out a strategy in this regard.

Justice Siddqiui said the presence of blasphemous content might spark a law and order situation in the country, and directed the interior secretary to seek assistance from intelligence agencies in this regard.

The interior secretary submitted that eradication of blasphemous content would require two to three weeks.

Justice Siddiqui remarked that vulgarism had overtaken electronic media in the country, and honour of nation was being sold in the name of a product; hence, he directed the information secretary to look into the matter.

“I will summon the Prime Minister in case no action is taken. I request you to take action,” he observed.

“For God’s sake, do not do this to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him),” Justice Siddiqui said in tears, leaving some lawyers in the courtroom with watery eyes.

The interior secretary informed the court that a detailed briefing had been given to the Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan the other day regarding the issue.

He said the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing had been given the task to take action against the culprits, and that the department had contacted the administration of Facebook to seek access to the controversial pages.

The PTA chairman informed the bench that six controversial pages had been blocked and a first information report (FIR) registered against unidentified people. The police and the FIA would jointly probe the crime, he said. The court subsequently adjourned hearing of the case until March 13.