SC grants bail to accused in blasphemy case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to a man accused of blasphemy, citing the prosecution’s “lack of interest” regarding the case.
A two member bench, comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa (who presided over the bench) and Justice Muhammad Amin, heard the case in which the 65-year-old suspect was accused of circling a shrine in Shujabad.
Justice Isa reprimanded the police for not only registering a first information report (FIR) in the case nearly five days after the alleged incident had occurred, and questioned why the police – whose job is to provide security – became the plaintiff in the case.
PR ordered to take measures for safety of women
Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Implementation Unit (SRIU) on Wednesday directed Pakistan Railways to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of female passengers.
The SRIU will launch the Safar Saheli app with instructions on how to download the app, as well as emergency phone numbers, printed on train tickets. The Unit also plans to deploy teams comprising a lady sub-inspector and two lady constables in long-distance trains, installing SOS buttons in trains and two CCTV cameras in each bogie and corridor.
The move comes days after a female passenger on the Karachi-bound Bahauddin Zakaria Express was gang-raped by train staff.
Mob lynches man in Gujranwala
At least 14 people have been arrested so far in connection with the lynching of a scrap dealer accused of stealing a motorbike on Monday.
A case was registered under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of the victim, Mohammad Ashraf’s brother Saukat Ali at the Aroop police station.
According to the FIR, Ashraf ran out of fuel while riding his motorcycle near Pindi Bypass on GT Road. He then tugged his bike on foot to the Admore petrol pump to refuel. The complainant and two others, who were with Ashraf, heard shouting at the pump and went over to inspect the situation. There, they found his brother tied to a car and being thrashed by one Waqas Abbas, while another man identified as Mukhtar Ahmed held him down before moving him to an office.
There, one Asad continued to torture Ashraf while another suspect, Aqeel Ahmed, tied the victim’s hands with rope. Ali stated that at least five unknown people continued to punch and kick Ashraf – the suspects immediately fled when police approached the scene.
The victim was shifted to the Gujranwala district headquarters (DHQ) hospital for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries.
According to police, Ashraf had a clean history.