[DAWN] The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suggested that parliament make the blasphemy law tougher by fixing the same punishment for any person misusing it or falsely accusing someone of blasphemy.In a detailed order issued on Friday, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui also ordered a complete ban on the social networking site Facebook in case the website management does not conform to Pak laws.
The court on March 31, 2017, had issued a short order on a petition seeking elimination of blasphemous content from social media.
In the 116-page detailed judgment, Justice Siddiqui discussed in detail the common criticism of the blasphemy law.
He said due to the misuse of the law critics even demanded abolishing it, adding it was better to stop exploitation of the law rather than abolishing it.
"Admittedly, not a single convict whether Moslem or non-Moslem has ever been executed for blasphemy in Pakistain," the judgment added.
It also explained how people due to their personal enmity managed to drag their rivals into blasphemy cases endangering the life of not only the accused person but all his family members and relatives.
However,
facts are stubborn; statistics are more pliable...
under the existing law, the false accuser can only face proceedings under Section 182 of the Pakistain Penal Code (PPC), it added.
Section 182 of the PPC entails the maximum punishment of six months or a fine up to Rs1,000 only.
According to the judgment, this is a very minor punishment for such a serious offence of accusing someone of blasphemy.