LAHORE, Sept 21: The Lahore High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition through which Mumtaz Husain, a teacher at the Government High School, Hafizabad, had requested for acquittal and release on bail in a case which charged him with passing blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his revered family.

Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif observed in his order that the accused had already confessed his offence and also sought forgiveness from Allah for the sin he had committed soon after he was arrested in February this year.

His remarks squarely fell within the mischief of sections 295-A and 295-C of the PPC. The latter offence carries death penalty upon establishment of the offence.

The Hafizabad police registered an FIR against the teacher on the order of the DPO after inquiry into the allegation of passing blasphemous remarks.

The FIR says Mumtaz Husain had used derogatory words against the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his family in the presence of some other staff members. Two of the teachers, Riaz Ahmad and Muhammad Younis, moved an application to the DPO for registration of a case against Mumtaz.

The DPO got the allegations investigated and directed the police to register a case against the offending teacher under sections 295-A and 295-C of the PPC.

The police arrested the accused after the FIR was registered on Feb 25 this year. He moved the district and sessions judge for acquittal of the charges through an application moved under section 265-K of the CrPC. The trial court rejected his plea and he then moved the LHC in an appeal against the decision.