ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday extended the physical remand of four individuals suspected of having uploaded blasphemous content on social media sites.

ATC Judge Syed Kausar Abbas Zaidi extended the judicial remand of the suspects and directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to produce them in court before the expiry of the extended remand.

The suspects have already been in the FIA’s custody for 10-days. The agency had registered an FIR against them in connection with publishing blasphemous content on the Internet on March 22.

During the hearing of a petition seeking the removal of blasphemous content from social media, the FIA submitted a copy of the FIR before Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

In its short order passed in the blasphemy case, the IHC directed the authorities concerned to amend the ‘Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act’ to incorporate sections related to blasphemy and pornography laws.

The court had also asked the government to attach penal clauses for levelling false blasphemy accusations. In response to the court’s observations, the Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali had submitted a letter before the court saying that since the court had already pointed out the need for providing penal consequences for false accusations regarding blasphemy, the prime minister may direct the ministries to form a committee for the purposes of assessing the existing legal regime and providing suitable amendments in various laws, including the ‘Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016’.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2017