Blasphemy case filed against Imran Khan

A case under blasphemy laws was registered in Faisalabad against PTI Chairman and former prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and other top figures of the previous government.

The development comes days after pilgrims converged on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's delegation and chanted slogans in Masjid-i-Nabwi., reports The Dawn.

The FIR, has been registered under Sections 295 (harming or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult a religion), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 296 (disturbing religious assembly) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, claims the Pakistani newspaper.

The FIR, registered on the complaint of a common citizen Muhammad Naeem in Faisalabad, names key PTI leaders and associates — Fawad Chaudhry, Shahbaz Gill, Qasim Suri, Sahibzada Jahangir, Aneel Musarrat as well as former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed. Rashid's nephew, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, has also been named in the FIR.

According to the complainant, the incident at Masjid-i-Nabwi was carried out under a "planned and thought out scheme and conspiracy".

He said that his claims were supported by the videos that are being shared on electronic and social media as well as through speeches made by certain PTI leaders.

He alleged that Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Sheikh Rashid, Shahbaz Gill and Qasim Suri were part of a conspiracy under which other PTI leaders then led delegations to Saudi Arabia to carry out the actions at the holy mosque, which were then posted on social media outlets.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that there was no justification to not register a case against those who violate the sanctity of Roza-i-Rasool (peace be upon him).

Pilgrims were instigated under a plan, the minister said, adding that some of the people had travelled to Saudi Arabia from Britain. "There can be no forgiveness for what these people have done," he said.