LAHORE: A sessions court has acquitted a man in a case of alleged blasphemy registered by Mughalpura police in 2011.

Asim Aslam was arrested following the FIR registered on the complaint of his brother Faisal Aslam under section 295-B of the PPC. The complainant himself admitted in the FIR that the suspect had a history of mental illness.

A trial court had awarded the suspect life imprisonment on the basis of his confessional statement. Later, he challenged his conviction before the Lahore High Court in 2015.

The high court in 2021 suspended the sentence and directed the sessions court to hold a fresh trial of the suspect in light of his mental health.

The suspect also filed an application for his acquittal under section 265-K of the Cr.PC.

Additional District & Sessions Judge Khalid Wazir allowed the application of Aslam and acquitted him of the charge.

“He be released immediately, if not required in any other case,” says the order issued by the trial judge.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2022