PESHAWAR: The district and sessions judge here on Wednesday convicted an activist of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for sedition, burning the national flag and making its video viral on social media, and sentenced him to 26-month prison term with Rs50,000 fine.

Judge Ashfaque Taj ruled that the prosecution had proved its case against the accused, Junaid Ahmad, a resident of Dareshkhel area of Karak district, and the evidence on record connected him with the commission of the offence.

The accused was convicted on four counts under different provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).

He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment and fined Rs20,000 under section 123-B (defiling national flag); and six months imprisonment and Rs10,000 fine under section 124-A (sedition), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) of PPC and section 11 (hate speech) of Peca, each.

Following the removal of former prime minister Imran Khan through a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, the convict had recorded a video and uploaded it on social media wherein he was shown putting on fire the Pakistan’s national flag and also uttering “derogatory remarks” against Pakistan Army and the chief of army staff.

An inquiry was conducted by FIA, after which the FIR was registered against the convict in May 2022.

The convict was in a Gulf country at the time of uploading the said video and was arrested at the airport when he was returned in June 2022.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2023