Pakistanis staged protests against the chief justice of the Supreme Court on Friday following his blasphemous verdict, which provoked outrage online and thinly disguised threats of murder.
After Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court granted the release of an Ahmadi man who was deemed heretical by radical Muslim academics, a campaign was launched against Isa.
Following his ruling to free a member of the Ahmadi religious group, which radical Muslim academics deemed heretical, Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa became the subject of a campaign. Roads were blocked by crowds chanting “Long live Islam” and “Death to Qadianis,” a derogatory term for Ahmadis.
In a statement released on Thursday night, the Supreme Court upheld its decision and refuted claims that it violated Pakistan’s Islamic constitution.
The text said, “This impression is incorrect. Regrettably, there is a coordinated campaign against judges and the judiciary.”
Amir Mahmood, a spokesman for the Ahmadi community in Pakistan, told AFP that “one-sided negative propaganda is being spread against this judgment,” asserting that the decision protected the person from “being persecuted for his religious belief.”
Protests at the ruling of the Pakistan Supreme Court on minorities
Amir Mahmood, a spokesman for Pakistan’s Ahmadi community, has criticized the Supreme Court’s ruling that protected a man from persecution for his religious belief.
The ruling, which went unnoticed two weeks ago, was highlighted by social media accounts linked to the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, which led to violent anti-blasphemy protests.
Mahmood argued that one-sided negative propaganda was being spread against the judgment, which protected a man from persecution for his religious belief. The AFP reported that the ruling went unnoticed before being highlighted in the protests.
However, Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission has criticized the ruling by Isa, which protects the constitutional right of all religious minorities to freedom of religion or belief. Ahmadis, a religious minority, have been discriminated against and persecuted in Pakistan for decades due to their belief in a 19th-century prophet after Muhammad.
The second amendment of Pakistan’s constitution declares Ahmadis non-Muslims, prohibiting them from professing Islam or spreading their faith.
Pakistan Supreme Court argues on behalf of its minority settlement
Following a verdict on blasphemy that caused an internet outcry and resulted in thinly disguised death threats, Pakistan’s Supreme Court has defended its top justice. Following his ruling to free a member of the Ahmadi religious group, which radical Muslim academics deemed heretical, Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa became the subject of a campaign.
In the Muslim-majority country of Pakistan, where even unfounded claims of insulting Islam have incited bloodshed, the guy was charged with spreading a banned Ahmadi literature, which radical clerics view as blasphemy. On Thursday night, the Supreme Court defended the decision in a statement, refuting claims that it violated the Islamic constitution.
Besides, It stated, “This perception is incorrect. “The organized campaign against the judiciary and judges is unfortunate.”
Two weeks ago, Isa’s verdict went undetected until it was brought to light by social media accounts associated with the militant anti-blasphemy party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.
