LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at Model Town Courts on Tuesday sent Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rassool Allah Pakistan chief Dr Asif Ashraf Jalali on judicial remand in a case relating to hate speech and objectionable remarks against the family members of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Samanabad police had registered an FIR against the cleric on June 18 under Sections 295-A (acts intended to outrage religious feeling) and 298-A (use of derogatory remarks in respect of holy personages) of the Pakistan Penal Code, and Section 13/16 of the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance.

Police produced Mr Jalali before Judicial Magistrate Wajih Khwaja Chaudhry.

The investigating officer told the court that probe into the matter had been completed and physical custody of the suspect was not required.

He requested the court to send the suspect to jail on judicial remand.

The lawyer, appearing on behalf of Mr Jalali, argued that the case was registered maliciously “on racial basis”.

He said the suspect had not committed the offences cited in the FIR and asked the court to discharge the case.

The magistrate observed that the suspect was nominated in the FIR and a specific role had been attributed to him. He noted that electronic record of the hate speech presented by the investigating officer had incriminating evidence against the suspect.

The magistrate sent the suspect to jail on a 14-day judicial remand.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2020