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SC surprised by Sargodha blasphemy ‘monitoring agreement’

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) was surprised when it learnt on Friday about an agreement purportedly reached bet­ween the district commissioner of Sargodha and a private organisation to check blasphemous content by monitoring areas dominated by the Christian community. Subsequently a three-judge SC bench headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan ordered the deputy commissioner concerned to appear in person with the copy of the agreement for the perusal of the court. The court’s attention was drawn towards this fact during the hearing of Aug 16 tragic Jaranwala incidents in which 20 churches and over a dozen homes belonging to the Christian community were attacked and ransacked. Samual Makson Pyara, director for Human Rights of the Voice of Christians International, had mentioned the agreement, which required the setting up of committees to control areas where Christians resided by monitoring and ascertaining whether alleged blasphemy was being committed. Mr Pyara, who earlier had requested the apex court to take notice of Jaranwala incident, contended that it was the job of the law enforcing agencies, not the private organisations, to monitor the areas where Christians live. The SC also noted that a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was constituted to probe into the Jaranwala incident and directed Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan to furnish a progress report on the investigations into the tragic incident. The court ordered the Punjab government to provide a report regarding the properties that were damaged, attacked, and had their belongings stolen or plundered. On the alleged hate speech going on the social media, Justice Ahsan regretted that the hate speech was a criminal offence under the laws of Pakistan and ordered the Punjab home department and the provincial inspector general (IG) to apprise how many FIRs have been lodged against the hate material targeting the minorities. The applicant also highlighted a May 11, 2018, court order in which it was held that Christians will be addressed as ‘maseehi’ and not ‘easai’, yet a ‘Welfare Centre for Easai Communities’ was established in Jaranwala. The court asked the concerned DCO to coordinate with the IG and apprise him about the court order, which will also share with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony for its implementation through broadcast and publication. The court issued notices to ETPB, secretary religious affairs, AGP and advocate generals of the provinces to provide a comprehensive reports highlighting incidents of target killings of the members of Sikh community, harassment and sense of insecurity instilled among the community members who have been living peacefully in different parts of the country. The court also ordered ETPB to file a report listing the details of gurdwaras and Hindu temples in the country, which need repair, in the control of the board, leased out, encroached upon, rented, etc. The case will be taken up again after two weeks. Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2023
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