Source: tribune.com.pk

File photo of Lahore High Court. PHOTO: lhc.gov.pk

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday suspended a lower court’s directions to the police to register a blasphemy case against columnist Ajmal Niazi for portraying Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as ‘secular’ in his columns and book.

The court also issued the respondents a notice.

An additional district and sessions judge, on September 5, directed the Islampura Station House Officer to record petitioner Mazhar Khan Ashraf’s statement, accusing Niazi of blasphemy.

Ashraf had filed the petition through Advocate Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, who is involved in dozens of petitions seeking the registration of FIRS under blasphemy charges.

Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, while challenging the additional sessions judge’s orders on Monday, stated that Ajmal Niazi was a renowned journalist who had been awarded a Sitara-i-Imtiaz. He said his columns and speeches showed that he was, in fact, a true ashiq-i-Rasool (loved the …continue reading at tribune.com.pk