Afghan national sentenced to death, fined Rs100,000 in Peshawar blasphemy case

PESHAWAR: Additional Sessions Judge Rafiullah has sentenced an Afghan national, Mullah Din, to death and imposed a fine of Rs100,000 after finding him guilty in a blasphemy case.

According to the prosecution, the accused, Mullah Din, a resident of Afghanistan, was charged with uttering derogatory remarks constituting blasphemy within the jurisdiction of Hayatabad Police Station on August 5, 2022.

Following the incident, local residents apprehended the accused and handed him over to the police. A case was subsequently registered against him under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, and an investigation was launched.

After completing the investigation, the police submitted a charge sheet against the accused to the relevant court, following which formal hearings and the trial commenced.

During the trial, the prosecution presented witness testimonies and other evidence before the court, which examined various aspects of the case.

Upon completion of the trial, the court announced its verdict yesterday, finding the accused guilty in light of the evidence and witness statements. It subsequently sentenced him to death and imposed a fine of Rs100,000.

In its verdict, the court ordered that the convict be executed in accordance with the law. The judgment further stated that if he failed to pay the fine, he would have to serve an additional six months in prison.

The court's order stated that the convict was to be hanged until pronounced dead.