BATTAGRAM: A local court here on Tuesday sent a former schoolteacher to jail on judicial remand in a case of ‘hurting religious sentiments of Muslims’.

Police produced him before a magistrate following his arrest on the charge of sharing ‘objectionable’ remarks regarding companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) on social media.

According to DSP Sajid Nawaz, the suspect retired from education department in 2016 after serving as a CT teacher.

Police said they arrested the suspect on Monday evening after an FIR was registered against him under different sections of Pakistan Penal Code including 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 298A (person who disrespects the wives, family and companions of Holy Prophet) and 153A (promotion of disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language, or regional groups or castes or communities).

Complainant in the case is Momin Shah, who in his written complaint stated that on social media he along with two other persons watched objectionable material disrespecting the companions of the Holy Prophet that hurt his and other Muslims’ religious sentiments.

He said that for maintenance of law and order in the district, prompt action should be taken against the suspect.

A son of the suspect, when contacted, said that his father’s social media account was hacked by someone. He said that he did not know the hacker, who shared objectionable material from his father’s social media account that got attention of people.

He said that his father was a well-versed practicing Muslim and he even could not think about such an act. He added that his father himself shared no post, video or objectionable material, which could hurt religious belief of someone.

Deputy Commissioner Tanveerur Rehman, when contacted, said that he was not informed by police regarding the incident. “The law will take it course,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2023