LHC grants post-arrest bail to Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday granted post-arrest bail to religious scholar engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza in a blasphemy case.

A bench of the high court ordered jail authorities to release him forthwith if he was not required in any other case.

Earlier, Muhammad Ali Mirza filed a petition in the Lahore High Court challenging an ongoing investigation launched by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The petition names the FIA and the Punjab Quran Board as respondents.

According to the petition, Mirza contended that the FIA initiated an inquiry against him without issuing any prior notice. He stated that the agency forwarded a social-media video to the Punjab Quran Board seeking a religious ruling (fatwa) on its content.

The petition further argues that the Punjab Quran Board declared the petitioner guilty of committing blasphemy on the basis of an old video, despite the fact that the Board has no authority to issue fatwas. The petitioner maintains that the Board’s mandate is limited to overseeing matters related to the publication of the Holy Quran.

Muhammad Ali  Mirza has requested the court to nullify the fatwa issued against him and order the termination of the FIA investigation.