Case registered against owners of 'blasphemous' media pages

A case was today registered against unidentified persons involved in spreading blasphemous material on social media, amid a top Pakistan court's call for a ban on such sites due to the spread of "blasphemous" images.
The case was registered at Raman Police Station after Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the government to implicate those running "blasphemous Facebook pages".
"Sentiments of Muslims have been hurt by the content being shared on these pages," according to the FIR.
The relevant sections of blasphemy laws have been invoked against the perpetrators of the crime, an official said.
The action came two days after Islamabad High Court Judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui called for a ban on social media sites in Pakistan due to the spread of "blasphemous" images online.

Justice Siddiqui on March 7 had ordered Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan to take immediate action to eliminate access to blasphemous content on social media.

The court mentioned pages like Bhensa, Mochi and Roshni and ordered that action should be taken even if it means blocking all access to social media.
Justice Siddiqui also ordered to put names of the people found to have posted blasphemous content online on the Exit Control List, thereby prohibiting them from leaving Pakistan.
The controversial blasphemy laws were introduced in Pakistan by former military ruler Zia-ul Haq in the 80s and anyone charged under the laws become an easy target for extremists.

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Meanwhile, Interior Minister Khan said the government will leave no stone unturned to effectively block blasphemous contents on the internet especially on social media websites.
"We will go to any extent even if we have to go to the extent of permanently blocking all such social media websites if they refuse to cooperate," Khan said.
He said that no blasphemous material would be allowed to be propagated through social media that hurts religious sentiments of the people of Pakistan.
It is not the issue of Muslims living in Pakistan alone, but the sentiments of entire Ummah (Muslim community) are hurt by such madness and Muslims all across the world have serious concerns over failure of social media operators to block such blasphemous contents.

He said that blasphemy and terrorism were two major sensitivities and the state will not compromise on these issues.
The minister directed Chairman PTA to engage various foreign companies operating social media websites to convey serious reservations and concerns of the Government so as to find permanent solution for blocking of such material i.E. websites, facebook pages and simultaneously to ensure that such content is not uploaded with any other name.
The Minister particularly mentioned refusal of facebook to cooperate in the matter of airing a false photograph of senior most personality of superior judiciary.