Religious Scholar Engineer Mirza Muhammad Ali. Photo: File
The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday approved bail for religious scholar engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza in a case alleging religious hatred and ordered his immediate release.
Judge Sadaqat Khan granted bail on the condition that Mirza furnish two sureties worth Rs500,000 each. The case was registered by the FIA Cyber Crime Wing, which has accused him of insulting revered religious personalities.
During the hearing, the FIA’s lawyer informed the court that a religious decree (fatwa) had been issued against Mirza, but the judge directed the lawyer to produce any such document before the trial court, noting that the High Court would only consider arguments relevant to bail. He noted that all the evidence, details and religious decrees were things for the trial court to assess.
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Meanwhile, Mirza has filed a separate petition in the Lahore High Court challenging the FIA’s investigation. Filed through advocate Nabeel Javed Kahlon, the petition names FIA and Punjab Quran Board as respondents.
Mirza claims that the FIA initiated an investigation without issuing him a notice. He states that the agency forwarded a video on social media to the Punjab Quran Board for a fatwa. The petition claims that the board found him guilty based on an old video, despite lacking the authority to issue any religious decree as its mandate is limited to overseeing the publication of the Koran.
He is asking the court to cancel the fatwa issued against him and order the investigation to end.
Mirza was first detained in August under Section 3 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) by the Jhelum police. He was later moved to jail before being handed over to the FIA following the registration of a blasphemy case.
The FIR, filed at the Jhelum City police station, alleges that a video circulating online – originally posted on Mirza’s YouTube channel – contains blasphemous remarks about the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and a misinterpretation of Surah al-Nisa. The complainant maintains that the video is offensive and violates Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
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The case is charged under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which carries the death penalty for defiling the name of the Prophet (PBUH), and Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, which deals with content that incites sectarian or inter-religious hatred.
Section 295-C states that anyone who directly or indirectly defiles the Holy Name of the Prophet (PBUH) shall be punished with death and may also be fined. PECA Section 11 provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine.
Mirza, a prominent online figure with more than three million YouTube subscribers, heads the Qur’an-o-Sunnat Research Academy in Jhelum. The facility had been sealed off by local authorities, although no official reason was given.
