SAHIWAL: Two men were awarded a death sentence on Thursday for making a blasphemous post on Facebook in 2024.

Along with the death penalty, AntiTerrorism Court Special Judge Ziaullah Khan also awarded the convicts seven-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs1.5 million each.

According to the police, both men were booked in the FIR under the PPC Section 295-C, sections 7 and 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (1996), and sections 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (2016). The case was registered on Sept 22, 2024, with Chichawatni Saddar Police Station on the complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Shamasul Hasan Sabri.

The police alleged that ASI Sabri, along with constables Imran Hyder and Mudasir Jahangir and driver Wakeel Ahmed, was on patrol duty when he saw a blasphemous post on the Facebook account of the man, a resident of a Chichawatni village, and the post was also shared by the other man, a resident of Talagang, on his own Facebook account too.

The police went to Talagang to arrest the man.

The police alleged that the post had hurt the Muslims’ sentiments and tried to create religious hatred among communities.

In his verdict, the judge convicted and sentenced the men to death and seven-year jail term and imposed a fine. Both convicts were shifted to the Central Prison, Sahiwal.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2026