Teacher’s blasphemy trial enters final stages

Published December 12, 2019
Junaid Hafeez has been in solitary confinement for fear of being attacked by fellow inmates in jail since his arrest in 2013 on blasphemy charges linked to online posts. — Dawn/File
Junaid Hafeez has been in solitary confinement for fear of being attacked by fellow inmates in jail since his arrest in 2013 on blasphemy charges linked to online posts. — Dawn/File

ISLAMABAD: A court will hear final arguments on Thursday in the blasphemy trial of a former university lecturer a week after a US religious freedom commission placed his name on its list of global victims, his lawyer said.

Junaid Hafeez has been in solitary confinement for fear of being attacked by fellow inmates in jail since his arrest in 2013 on blasphemy charges linked to online posts.

In 2013, students at a Multan university where Hafeez taught English literature accused him of blasphemous Facebook posts.

His lawyers say he was framed by students from an extremist party for his liberal and secular views.

“It is a kind of a recognition that people are being persecuted in Pakistan for their belief and freedom of expression,” his lawyer, Asad Jamal, told Reuters.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...