LAHORE: If the lower court and high court can give a wrong judgement, so can the apex court, said Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Sirjaul Haq on Friday.

Addressing a rally on Multan Road against the Supreme Court’s decision acquitting Aasia Bibi, he demanded a larger bench of the court be constituted to hear Aasia’s case afresh and her name be placed on the Exit Control List till the final verdict.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan must behave like the chief executive of the country, listen to the protesters and present the government’s stance with arguments,” he added.

The JI chief said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government had plunged the nation into a difficult situation, as on one side price hike was causing hardships for the people, and on the other, there was an attempt to attack the people’s faith.

He claimed that the British prime minister as well as the UN had welcomed the SC decision, while the entire Muslim world was in a state of grief and shock. The politicians, who were threatening to give a tough time to the PTI government only to save their skins and ill-gotten wealth, were now offering cooperation to the government against the blasphemy law, he claimed.

He further claimed that a peaceful protest was going on from Chitral to Karachi and it would continue till the time the Islamic provisions of the Constitution, including the blasphemy law, were fully secure and protected.

“We want to make it clear to the prime minister and chief justice that this is not a political issue or an issue involving vote. It is a matter concerning our faith. The government threats and warnings cannot stop us from expressing our love for the Prophet (PBUH),” he added.

Addressing the rally, JI central Punjab chief Amirul Azeem deplored that the people raising the slogan of a Madina state had “sold themselves to the West”. Addressing the federal information minister, he said Mr Fawad Chaudhry was talking of the writ of the state, but he was not conscious of the writ of God that had made an example of all those who challenged that writ.

JuD: The government should immediately file a review appeal against the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision on Aasia Bibi who was set free by the court, says Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) emir Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

Addressing a Friday sermon here, he said, “the whole country is severe anxiety over the judgment in the Aasia Bibi case. Pakistan is passing through unusual conditions since the announcement of the verdict.”

Mr Saeed urged the government and the judiciary to review the facts of the case.

“I have read the court document completely, consulted lawyers and come to know that the case was not taken seriously by the government. It should be reviewed why the witnesses deviated?

We all know how people are bribed or threatened in such situations. It is the obligation of the government to take the matter seriously.

“Like Aasia’s, numerous other cases were filed in the past. Why was Ayub Masih allowed to leave the country? Where is Raymond Davis? Owing to such a history, the nation does not trust the governments,” he said.

The JuD chief further said: “It is highly appreciable that several Quranic verses and Hadith were quoted in the court decision. But this one is not a routine case. It is the issue of dignity and sanctity of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). All aspects of the case must be reviewed. The issue should be resolved in the courts. Violence is not at all the right way. If, after reviewing the case appropriately, Aasia proves to be sinless, she should be freed as Islam is the religion of justice and it does not allow unfairness.”

call: Ziaul Haq Naqshbandi, chairman of little know outfit Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat, on Friday called for nationwide calm and urged the protest leaders to ask their followers to desist from hurting people or damaging property.

At a press conference, the Lahore-based organisation chief said this was no time to fight each other.

Flanked by other religious scholars and members of the civil society, he requested the protesters to remain peaceful.

“They can protest but should not take people’s lives or damage property. Take care of minorities. All citizens in Pakistan have equal rights,” he said.

Other religious leaders also spoke at the press conference held at the Press Club, urging peace even in demonstrations. They maintained that peaceful protests were the democratic right of every Pakistani but no one had the right to damage public or private property of their fellow citizens.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2018