Latest news with #ImaanMazari
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC orders probe into online blasphemy spike
Listen to article The capital's high court has ordered a government probe into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families. There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022. Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the internet for offenders. "The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe," said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months. A report published by the government-run National Commission for Human Rights in October last year said there were 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations. "This is a huge ray of hope and it is the first time that the families have felt heard," said lawyer Imaan Mazari, who represents the families of arrested men and women, of the court order. "Youngsters have been falsely roped into cases of such a sensitive nature that the stigma will last forever even if they are acquitted," she added. A 2024 report by the Punjab Police into the sudden spike in cases, that was leaked to the media, found that "a suspicious gang was trapping youth in blasphemy cases" and may be motivated by financial gain. The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is the most active of lawyers groups prosecuting young men in Pakistan. Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi, one of the group's leaders, told AFP in October that "God has chosen them for this noble cause". In recent years, several youngsters have been convicted and handed death sentences, although no execution has ever been carried out for blasphemy in Pakistan. "We will fully support the probe commission and are confident that our voices will finally be listened to, our concerns will be heard, and the truth will come out," the relative of one of the accused, who asked not to be named because of the backlash, told AFP. WITH INPUT FROM AFP
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike
A Pakistan court ordered a government probe on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families. There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022. Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the internet for offenders. "The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe," said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months. Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan punishable by death, and even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage, lead to lynchings and to families being shunned by society. A report published by the government-run National Commission for Human Rights in October last year said there were 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations. "This is a huge ray of hope and it's the first time that the families have felt heard," said lawyer Imaan Mazari, who represents the families of arrested men and women, of the court order. "Youngsters have been falsely roped into cases of such a sensitive nature that the stigma will last forever even if they are acquitted," she added. A 2024 report by Punjab police into the sudden spike in cases, that was leaked to the media, found that "a suspicious gang was trapping youth in blasphemy cases" and may be motivated by financial gain. The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is the most active of lawyers groups prosecuting young men in Pakistan. Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi, one of the group's leaders, told AFP in October that "God has chosen them for this noble cause". In recent years, several youngsters have been convicted and handed death sentences, although no execution has ever been carried out for blasphemy in Pakistan. "We will fully support the probe commission and are confident that our voices will finally be listened to, our concerns will be heard, and the truth will come out," the relative of one of the accused, who asked not to be named because of the backlash, said.
Khaleej Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike
A Pakistan court ordered a government probe on Tuesday into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families. There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022. Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the Internet for offenders. "The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe," said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months. Blasphemy is an incendiary charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan punishable by death, and even unsubstantiated accusations can incite public outrage, lead to lynchings and to families being shunned by society. A report published by the government-run National Commission for Human Rights in October last year said there were 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations. "This is a huge ray of hope and it's the first time that the families have felt heard," said lawyer Imaan Mazari, who represents the families of arrested men and women, of the court order. "Youngsters have been falsely roped into cases of such a sensitive nature that the stigma will last forever even if they are acquitted," she added. A 2024 report by Punjab police into the sudden spike in cases, that was leaked to the media, found that "a suspicious gang was trapping youth in blasphemy cases" and may be motivated by financial gain. The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is the most active of lawyers groups prosecuting young men in Pakistan. Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi, one of the group's leaders, told AFP in October that "God has chosen them for this noble cause". In recent years, several youngsters have been convicted and handed death sentences, although no execution has ever been carried out for blasphemy in Pakistan. "We will fully support the probe commission and are confident that our voices will finally be listened to, our concerns will be heard, and the truth will come out," the relative of one of the accused, who asked not to be named because of the backlash, told AFP.
Business Recorder
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Babar's plea against harassment by FIA: Urgent hearing to take place today
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) fixed for urgent hearing today (Thursday), a petition filed by ex-senator Farhatullah Babar against alleged harassment by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The petition was filed Wednesday under Article 199 of the Constitution by advocates, Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha against the Ministry of Interior and the FIA and others as respondents, 'Seeking intervention of Court against the unlawful, illegal, arbitrary and mala fide conduct in continuously harassing the petitioner through repeated issuance of ambiguous and illegal notices and summons, in what is an illegal fishing expedition/roving enquiry by the FIA in violation of laws and principles of natural justice.' The petition said that the FIA enquiry was initiated on March 25 on the complaint of a private citizen, unknown to him, living in Morgah, Rawalpindi alleging 'suspected corruption, tax evasion and illicit asset accumulation' and he appeared before the FIA on March 28 a day before Eid holidays. No copy of the complaint was provided to him. Interestingly, on 11 April 2025, a detailed questionnaire of 12 questions was slammed at him through WhatsApp, directing him to answer them all by 7 April 2025, four days prior to receiving it. The questions delved deep into the past, requiring collecting information from multiple offices within and outside the country. Despite this, the petitioners provided answers to all the questions. Instead of acknowledging the answers provided to the questionnaire, the FIA then asked the petitioner on May 27 to explain the source of properties which it claimed to have received from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) when he served as senator and also explain some banking transactions, within five days. The petitioner rejected the alleged transactions of Rs1,500,000 in his account on 3 April 2025 and another alleged transaction of Rs3 million on 5 July 2025 (almost a month away in the future). Thereupon, the petitioner was then directed to appear in person, the petition said. Just when the petitioner prepared replies to these questions, the FIA sent him another notice by WhatsApp, asking him to appear in person, disregarding the previous notice to send written replies. A day before Eid on June 6, Farhatullah Babar uploaded on X (formerly Twitter) extracts from his replies to the FIA and said; 'Two days ago, FIA regurgitated questions already replied to by me on May 12. One Q alleged transaction of 3 M on 5-7-25 (still a month away). Just when replies were being readied, the FIA WhatsApped to appear in person next day (June 5) on eve of Eid holidays. I couldn't appear in person and sent this reply.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Imaan quits IHCBA positionin protest
Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari has resigned from her position as the chairperson of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association's (IHCBA) committee on enforced disappearances. In a letter addressed to the IHCBA president on Monday, Mazari stated that she made the decision in protest against the "condemnable and cowardly" decision of the bar to withdraw its petitions against the 26th amendment and the transfer of judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC). Expressing her disappointment and shock over the move, she said the decision compromised on the principled position taken by former IHCBA president Riasat Ali Azad.
