Additional and District Sessions Judge Central Muhammad Azeem returned Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) minister Rauf Siddiqui’s application on Wednesday that was moved against former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza accusing him of committing blasphemy. The judge observed that the alleged offence mentioned in the petitioner’s application did not occur in the jurisdiction of district Central and advised the minister to approach the relevant court.
On October 15, Siddiqui had moved the court of the district and sessions judge Central pleading that Mirza be booked on blasphemy charges. Siddiqui, in his plea filed under 22 A of the Criminal Procedure Code, had alleged that Mirza passed blasphemous remarks while speaking at a press conference on Oct 9. Siddiqui submitted through his lawyer Advocate Aamir Mansoor Qureshi that he approached the Gulberg police station to lodge a case against Mirza, but the police refused to do so without their seniors’ permission. The MQM leader requested the court to direct the officers concerned to register his complaint against Mirza.
On Wednesday, the Gulberg SHO appeared before the court and submitted that the alleged offence did not occur within the jurisdiction of his police station, so he is unable to lodge the complaint. Siddiqui has filed an application in the district and sessions court South now and the court has summoned the Chakiwara SHO on Thursday (today).
