Lahore court issues notice to NCCIA on plea seeking FIR against Fazl over remarks
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Photo Courtesy: JUI/ Facebook
Petitions seeking legal action against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over his recent remarks regarding Pakistan’s armed forces and martyrs have begun reaching district courts across Punjab, with courts seeking responses from the relevant authorities.
Additional district and sessions judges in Lahore, Gujranwala, and other districts are hearing petitions requesting criminal proceedings against the JUI-F chief. The petitioners allege that his remarks were offensive to the sacrifices of the armed forces and had hurt public sentiment.
In one such case, a sessions court in Lahore on Wednesday sought a reply from the director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on a petition seeking registration of a criminal case against Fazl over his alleged remarks about the country’s martyrs.
Read: PA speaker demands apology from JUI-F chief over remarks about martyrs
Additional Sessions Judge Malik Latif issued a notice to the NCCIA director and adjourned further proceedings until August 17.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Mudassar Chaudhry, argued that Fazl had delivered a controversial speech regarding the country’s martyrs, a video of which had subsequently circulated on social media.
The petitioner submitted that the speech had deeply hurt his sentiments as well as those of the general public. It was further contended that the remarks had caused anguish to the families of the martyrs and therefore warranted criminal action.
The petition requested the court to direct the relevant authorities to register an FIR against the JUI-F chief and proceed against him in accordance with the law.
According to the petition, despite bringing the matter before the relevant authorities, no action had been initiated, compelling the petitioner to seek the court’s intervention to register a criminal case.
Background
The petitions stem from remarks recently made by the JUI-F chief during a public gathering, where his comments about the armed forces and the country’s martyrs drew strong criticism from political opponents and various quarters.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan publicly condemned the remarks, demanded that the JUI-F chief apologise to the nation, and maintained that no one should be allowed to undermine the sacrifices of Pakistan’s martyrs.
Also Read: Fazl’s remark draws ministers’ ire
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also slammed Fazl over his remarks about military personnel, describing them as “morally insensitive”.
Responding to the JUI-F chief’s statement, Asif said the maulana, as a seasoned politician and distinguished religious leader, was expected to exercise greater responsibility in his choice of words.
He stressed that no one lays down his life merely for a salary, particularly at a time when Pakistan continues to wage war against terrorism.
