LAHORE: The Prosecution on Wednesday filed three different applications in a blasphemy case against a lecturer and requested the trial court to summon Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) expert and sought permission to get forensic examination of a laptop and a cell phone belonging to the accused.

A Bahauddin Zakariya University visiting lecturer, Junaid Hafeez, was booked on blasphemy charges and was arrested by police on March 13, 2013. The trial of the case started in 2014.

The defence counsel had already completed the cross examination of the witnesses presented by the prosecution.

On Wednesday, the court was supposed to record statement of the accused under section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

However, the prosecution filed three new applications, including the one for sending laptop and mobile phone recovered from the accused at the time of his arrest in 2013, another for de-exhibition of some documents and the application filed under section 540 of the CrPC, along with section 94 of the CrPC, for summoning an expert working for the PFSA who prepared a report on the evidence gathered by police.

The defence counsel also submitted an application requesting the court to hold the trial proceedings on a daily basis.

The court sought arguments both from prosecution and defence sides on Sept 25 and adjourned the hearing.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2019