In Pakistan, the “Sar tan se juda” mob including thousands are protesting against the Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. In November 2023, Isa was appointed as the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Since February 2024, he has been facing death threats and protests after he ordered the release of a Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Sani.
On May 29, a three-judge bench including Chief Justice Isa, Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan reserved its decision. The fresh protests happened after the court on July 24 accepted the Punjab government’s plea alongside those of many Islamist organisations seeking a review of its February ruling.
It said that the right to profess religion and religious freedom, as ensured by the Constitution, is subject to law, morality and public order. A hearing on these pleas will be held on 22nd August.
The protesting Islamists are demanding CJP Faez Isa’s resignation. A large number of protesters on August 19 from many Islamist groups breached Islamabad’s highly secured, Red Zone storming the Supreme Court entrance gates to protest the Pakistan apex court verdict in the Mubarak Sani case.
Justice Isa granted bail to Ahmadiyya man Mubarak Ahmad Sani in the February ruling who was accused of blasphemy in 2019 over distributing pamphlets promoting his religious beliefs.
Sani was convicted under the Punjab Holy Quran (Printing and Recording) (Amendment) Act, 2021. However, the three-judge bench led by Justice Isa noted that Sani was charged for an offence not criminalised until 2021.
The top court granted bail to Sani and ordered his immediate release. Soon after, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TEL) and other Islamists launched a hate campaign against Qazi Faez Isa.
Around 3000 people blocked the roads in February in Peshawar and raised slogans like “Death to Qadianis” etc. The agitation of Islamists forced the Supreme Court to issue a statement ‘defending’ its decision in the Mubarak Sani case.
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