Arrest orders issued for PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday issued arrest orders for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Marriyum Aurangzeb in a hate speech case, directing authorities to produce the former federal minister in court on December 9.

ATC Judge Abher Gul Khan issued the arrest warrant for the PML-N leader and ordered the concerned station house officer (SHO) to execute the orders of her arrest.

The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against the former information minister for not appearing before the court.

A terrorism case had been registered against Aurangzeb, PML-N stalwart Mian Javed Latif, state-run Pakistan Television’s Managing Director Sohail Khan and others for allegedly trying to incite hatred by using the religion card against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

In the previous hearing, the ATC judge canceled the non-bailable arrest warrant against Latif after he appeared before the court.
On November 25, Advocate Farhad Ali Shah representing Javed Latif and Marriyum Aurangzeb appeared before the court.

During the hearing, Judge Khan inquired about the whereabouts of the PML-N leaders and was informed that Latif had appeared while Aurangzeb had not.

Consequently, the judge issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the former information minister and directed all suspects named in the case to appear before the court on December 9.

The case, registered on September 19, 2022, implicated both Aurangzeb and senior PML-N leader Javed Latif for allegedly “using religion to instill and spread hatred” against Imran Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and former prime minister.

According to the FIR, the complainant had said Latif accused the PTI chief of “attacking the basic principles of Islam” by “supporting” the Ahmadiyya community during his tenure.

“When Imran made the Naya Pakistan, units of Qadianis became active in Karachi […] Did Imran not give interviews to the foreign media in which he said that Qadianis will be given religious freedom,” Latif had said.

The FIR had said Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of the party leadership as well as Aurangzeb in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.

The complainant had said he watched another presser by Latif a day later wherein he insisted that he stood by his earlier statement.
The complainant said, “The world knows Imran Khan for his welfare work. He is a true Muslim, a Prophet (PBUH) lover and a patriotic Pakistani.

“He (Imran) made Quranic teachings in schools compulsory and also constituted Rehmatullil Alameen Authority. He also made it clear before the world through his speech at the United Nations that we will not tolerate blasphemy at any cost and raised his voice against Islamophobia which is matchless.

“In his news conference, Latif declared Imran a non-Muslim and deliberately used words to incite his followers to create a law and order situation.”

The FIR added that the PTI chief’s followers and supporters were enraged by the derogatory remarks of the PML-N leader.
“Latif made the controversial remarks at the behest of his party leadership as well as Marriyum in order to spread religious hatred against Imran.”

Complainant Rehman said that he had watched another news conference a day later in which Latif said that he stood by his earlier statement.

He demanded action be taken against the PML-N leaders and others nominated in the complaint under the law.