RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has acquitted five individuals previously convicted in a blasphemy case, setting aside death sentences awarded to four of them and a seven-year prison term given to another.
The trial court had earlier sentenced four men to death and one to seven years’ imprisonment on charges related to blasphemy and desecration of the Holy Quran.
However, the LHC bench overturned the convictions, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish the case beyond reasonable doubt.
Following the verdict, the complainant, Mufti Hanif Qureshi, along with complainant Umar Nawaz and their legal counsel, announced plans to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference at the Rawalpindi Press Club, they said the high court had ignored what they described as “solid evidence,” including forensic and DNA reports.
Mufti Hanif Qureshi expressed strong dissatisfaction with the ruling and stated that the complainant would also approach the Supreme Judicial Council against the judges involved, alleging judicial misconduct. The legal team maintained that the trial court’s findings were correct and that the acquittal was unjustified.
The accused, identified as Faizan Razzaq, Muhammad Rizwan, Muhammad Amin Raees, Usman Liaqat, and Wazir Gul, were released following the high court’s decision.
