ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday sent two convicts to the gallows besides imposing fines under various sections for posting blasphemous content on social media platforms.
The verdict was announced by Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka after hearing a case related to the spread of blasphemous posts on social media platforms by the two men who "created, uploaded, and displayed" sacrilegious contents.
The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing had filed a First Information Report (FIA) following a complaint against the men in 2021.
The probe agency claimed that during an inquiry, it collected "sufficient incriminating evidence" against the accused for their involvement in the offences punishable under sections of Peca law, 10 & 11 of PECA-2016, 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 298-A and 109 PPC.
The FIA had also accorded permission to the competent authority for registration of an FIR so the case was made out against them.
In today's verdict, the Islamabad court pronounced a death sentence and Rs500,000 fine to both convicts under section 295-C; life imprisonment under section 295-B, three-year jail and Rs100,000 fine under section 298-A.
Separately, the men have also been given seven years of rigorous imprisonment and Rs100,000 fine under section 11 of Peca 2016, as per the verdict obtained by Geo News.
"Convict shall be hanged by his neck till he is dead subject to confirmation of death punishment by Hon'ble Islamabad High Court, Islamabad on reference being sent under section 374 Cr.P.C," it stated.
The judge also directed the concerned superintendent to keep the convicts safe until receiving further warrants or orders from the court.
Last week, a Rawalpindi court sentenced four accused to death for blaspheming the holy figures and uploading sacrilegious content on social media.
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