ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan has said that an organized campaign against judges and judiciary was unfortunate, which is the violation of freedom of expression under Article 6 of the Constitution, and can damage the institution.
The SC PRO department Thursday issued clarification in response to “misreporting” on social, electronic, and print media about a case whose judgment was issued on February 6, 2024.
The clarification said that due to misreporting of the Supreme Court verdict in the electronic, print and the social media, doubts were created and an impression is given that the Supreme Court has deviated from (mentioned in FIR) are not applied on the accused. Rather Section 5 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1932 is applicable and under that maximum punishment for dissemination/publishing of prohibited books six months’ imprisonment can be awarded. The apex court noted that since the applicant/accused has already spent more than one year in jail, therefore, in light of the Islamic teachings, constitutional and legal provisions ordered to release the accused on bail. “It is unfortunate that in such cases, emotions get inflamed and Islamic laws are forgotten,” the declaration stated. It added, “It is in this context that verses from the holy Quran have been mentioned in the judgment.” The declaration further said that as per the Constitution, every citizen shall have the right to follow, practice and express any religion. According to the Constitution, every religious group and every sect will have the right to establish religious institutions and manage them, it said further. In a similar case, a five-member bench of the Supreme Court has already given a detailed decision and the current decision does not deviate from it.
It further said that Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa tries to reason in his decisions from the holy Quran and Ahadith that an implementation of all laws is adopted in a way that is in accordance with Islamic conjunctions, as is required under sections 2, 31 and 227 of the Constitution and Section 4 of the Implementation of Sharia Law, 1991.
