LAHORE – Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed of the Lahore High Court on Thursday called for appearance of a representative of Ministry of Information Technology on May 24 on a petition that prays for placing a permanent ban on the access to American social networking website, Facebook, for the reason it has second time announced to hold contest of the blasphemous caricatures on the Holy Prophet (SAW).
The court also handed over a copy of the petition, filed by M/s Muhammad and Ahmad, to Deputy Attorney General Zia-ul-Qamar Bhatti and required him to obtain instructions from the federal government and ministry of foreign affairs on this sensitive issue triggered by the Facebook audacity to hurt sentiments of the Muslims all over the world.
The petition, filed through Muhammad Azhar Siddique advocate says that like previous year, this year too, Facebook has planned to hold a fresh blasphemous drawing contest world-over on May 20 (today) under the title “2nd Annual Draw Muhammad Day-May 20, 2011”.
Petitioner requested that Facebook and all similar websites may be permanently blocked or banned in Pakistan for airing, placing, visualising caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) or any prophet of Islam.
The petitioner also urges the court for a direction to the SHO Civil Lines Police Station to register a criminal case under Section 295-C and other relevant provisions of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against those who are operating this website in question in Pakistan and punishing them accordingly.
Petitioner has sought directions for the federal government to stop display of material with respect to blasphemy of any religion or Holy Prophet on Facebook and all other such websites in Pakistan.
He said the government be directed to establish a permanent authority, having legal status, who would monitor such objectionable activities across the world, so that blasphemy of Holy Prophet should be banned forever, including the holy personalities of all religions.
It may be recalled that the Bench of Chief Justice LHC Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhary through a detailed judgement has called for a strict steps to check the practice of holding the contests in question as well as on showing any blasphemous on any Internet.

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