Islamabad High Court has dismissed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari over the annulment of sedition law.
According to Section 124-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, “Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Federal or Provincial Government established by law shall be punished with imprisonment for life to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.”
Chief Justice Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah in short order has dismissed the petition for being non-maintainable. The detailed verdict over the matter would be issued later.
Shireen Mazari had maintained in their petition that political leadership, journalists and activists have faced sedition charges under Pakistan Penal Code’s section 124-A.
Shahbaz Gill, Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir and some other members of the National Assembly (MNAs) have been facing prosecution under sedition charges.
Mazari maintained that the law was being used to curb freedom of speech; further adding that it was in violation of Article 19 of the Constitution which grants the right to free speech and expression.
The petition also maintained, “However, the abuse of the Law of Sedition while persecuting its citizen and arbitrarily slapping charges upon them are inconsistent with or in derogation of Pakistan’s international commitments.”
