Blasphemy case against engineer Mirza highlights Pakistan's contentious laws

Rawalpindi [Pakistan], September 14 (ANI): A Rawalpindi court has handed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) a seven-day physical remand of Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza Jehlami, a religious scholar, in connection with a sensitive blasphemy case.

According to The Express Tribune, Senior Civil Judge Waqar Hussain Gondal approved the remand after the FIA produced Mirza at the Rawalpindi district courts under strict security arrangements. The court directed investigators to finalise their questioning and bring the accused back on September 19. Following the court's orders, FIA officials took Mirza back into their custody.

According to The Express Tribune, Mirza was first taken into custody last month by Jhelum police under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO). He was subsequently shifted to jail before being handed over to the FIA after a blasphemy case was formally registered against him.

The FIR filed at Jhelum City Police Station alleges that a video uploaded to Mirza's YouTube channel contained offensive remarks about the Holy Prophet and misinterpreted verses from Surah al-Nisa. The complainant argued that the remarks not only breached Pakistan's blasphemy laws but also deeply offended religious sentiments.

Meanwhile, authorities have sealed Mirza's Qur'an-o-Sunnat Research Academy in Jhelum. No official explanation has been given for this action, sparking further debate. Mirza, who commands a massive digital presence with more than three million YouTube subscribers, has long been a controversial figure for his unorthodox religious views, as highlighted by The Express Tribune.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws, rooted in colonial-era statutes and hardened under General Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, were originally intended to preserve religious harmony but have instead become tools of persecution. Section 295-C mandates the death penalty for derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad, while related provisions criminalise alleged insults to Islam. Rights groups argue the laws often fail to deliver justice, as accusations are frequently based on personal vendettas or sectarian bias.

Trials rarely protect the accused, who face mob violence, social ostracism, and prolonged imprisonment, leaving minorities and reformist voices especially vulnerable. (ANI)

(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)