A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged against the federal ministers and PML-N leaders Javed Latif and Marriyum Aurangzeb for using the religion card to malign PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
According to the details, the FIR has been registered in Lahore’s Green Town Police Station following a press conference of Javed Latif in Islamabad. The FIR was registered on the complaint of Imam Masjid Irshad-ul-Rehman.
The case was registered for inciting people against former prime minister Imran Khan by making false statements. The complainant accused Javed Latif of inciting the people intentionally in consultation with Marriyum Aurangzeb. Several officials of Pakistan Television Network (PTV) were also booked in the case.
Read more: PTI denounces the government for using religion to discredit Imran Khan
“Incitement of sectarian hatred and violence against any citizen including Imran Khan will not be allowed,” Punjab’s Home Minister said while confirming the development.
لاہور کے تھانہ گرین ٹاون میں جاوید لطیف، مریم اورنگزیب، ایم ڈی پی ٹی وی راشد بیگ اور پروگرام پروڈیوسر کے خلاف ATA 9/11X3کے تحت مقدہ درج کر لیا گیا ہے۔ کسی بھی شہری بشمول عمران خان کے خلاف مزہبی منافرت اور تشدد پر اکسانے کی اجازت نہیں دی جاے گی pic.twitter.com/BcSzoplf3m
— Hashim Dogar (@ColhashimDogar) September 19, 2022
Reacting to the news, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called it a welcoming development and urged the Punjab government to arrest the accused.
“A welcome development. I call upon the government of Punjab that all accused should be arrested and this should not be just another routine FIR,” Fawad Chaudhry said.
A welcome development I call upon @GovtofPunjabPK that all accused should be arrested and this should not be just another routine FIR https://t.co/Y04UUvCB9O
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 19, 2022
Accusations against Imran Khan by PML-N
Federal minister Mian Javed Latif, in a press conference aired on PTV, accused Imran Khan of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” and “supporting” the Ahmediyya community during his tenure. He also accused the PTI chief of pushing the country towards “secularism and away from the religion”.
“Imran Khan wants to create anarchy in the country as he is using religion for his politics,” Javed Latif said.
His statement was met with intense criticism. The public demanded Javed Latif’s arrest and lashed out at him for inciting religious hatred, that too on national television.
Read more: After Javed Latif, Rana Sanaullah uses religion card to malign Imran Khan
Pertinent to mention that in Pakistan religious intolerance runs high. Accusations of blasphemy alone often lead to extreme and horrific measures.