Man jailed for 10 years in blasphemy case
A Pakistani policeman guards a jail entrance. — File Photo
CHAKWAL: After a trial spread over 14 months and conducted in an uneasy environment, Additional District and Sessions Judge Raja Pervez Akhtar jailed a blasphemy accused for 10 years and imposed a fine of Rs200,000 on Tuesday evening.
The verdict left the lawyers of both groups baffled and they now intend to go to the Lahore High Court — one would file an appeal for getting the sentence quashed while the other would file a review petition.
Convict Ghulam Ali Asghar, a resident of Chinji village in Talagang tehsil, was booked on Nov 17, 2011, on a charge of blaspheming the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by misquoting a Hadith in Punjabi language.
Judge Raja Pervez Akhtar acquitted Ghulam Ali Asghar of the allegation levelled under 295-C (the section which forbids blaspheming the Holy Prophet [PBHU]), but imprisoned him for ten years under 295-A (which forbids outraging religious feelings) and also imposed a fine of Rs200,000. The convict will have to undergo an additional jail term of six months if he does not pay the fine.
Related articles
- Alleged blasphemy: SC admits petition filed against Sherry Rehman for hearing (dawn.com)
- Pakistan sinks under a sea of blasphemy (news.techeye.net)
- Pakistan’s Female Ambassador to The United States Accused of Blasphemy (theageofblasphemy.wordpress.com)
- Man jailed for 10 years in blasphemy case (dawn.com)
The Age of Blasphemy 