Sharing dreams not grounds enough for blasphemy: LHC

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has said that the law can not prosecute anyone on the basis of them sharing something they saw in their dream, reports Dawn.

The Honourable Court was hearing a case pertaining to a first information report (FIR) filed by the Saddar Police Station of Mianwali against a petitioner in accordance with Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The petition was declared invalid by Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh.
The complaint was filed by an ex-member of the Mianwali district council in August 2021. He said that in his dreams, the petitioner saw Allah and several of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions as well as being able to fly.

“The complainant further alleged that the petitioner had made similar statements before a crowd where two prosecution witnesses were also present. He claimed that such propagation hurt the community’s religious feelings and was likely to incite violence,” the petition alleged.

A petitioner’s attorney claimed that the first information report (FIR) was politically motivated and dishonest. The only specific allegation against the petitioner was that he told a group of people about his dreams and claimed to have seen God and certain holy personages. “Such narration is not an offence under Section 295-A PPC,” the counsel added.
“We find that the offence under section 295-A PPC is not made out”, said Justice Sheikh before discussing the merits of the case.
“There is no evidence to suggest that the petitioner intended to offend or harm the religious sensibilities of the complainant or any other person with his statements,” the judge maintained.