ISLAMABAD: A retired army official was arrested and sent to Adiala jail on a charge of blasphemy, it emerged on Wednesday.

The 50-year-old suspect, a Golra resident who retired from Army Medical Corps, was sent to the jail on 14-day judicial remand.

According to the complaint lodged with the Golra police station, the suspect having a Facebook account allegedly posts derogatory comments in response to the posts in praise of holy personalities. The complainant, Yasir Qasmi, stated that he had an account on Facebook. “Whenever I share something in praise of the holy personalities, including Khulfae Rashideen, Ummul Momineen, Ahle Bait and companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the man starts replying with derogatory comments.”

The Golra police registered an FIR under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 298-A (use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of holy personages) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Sub-inspector Umar Hayat, who is investigating the case, told Dawn that the police arrested the suspect and produced him in a court of law that remanded him to jail for two weeks.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2019

The story earlier mentioned incorrect sections ─ 398-A and 395-A ─ of the Pakistan Penal Code. It has been updated to reflect that the FIR was registered under Section 298-A and Section 295-A.