Pakistan media mogul, Veena Malik get 26yrs in jail for blasphemy
The owner of Pakistan's biggest media group, Geo TV along with actress Veena Malik and her husband was sentenced to 26 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court for allegedly airing a blasphemous programme.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Veena Malik faces 26 year in jail for this mock TV wedding she took part in with her husband http://t.co/djvnig7lkl pic.twitter.com/cgAPCDm86D
— India Today (@IndiaToday) November 26, 2014
Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, owner of Geo and Jang group, was accused of allowing the airing of a blasphemous programme by Geo television in May, which played a religious song while staging a mock marriage of Malik with Bashir, reports Times of India on Wednesday.
Judge Shahbaz Khan also sentenced both Malik and Bashir along with TV host Shaista Wahidi for 26 years each.
The ATC also imposed a 1.3 million Pakistani rupees fine on the convicts and ordered that their properties should be sold to raise the fine, if they failed to pay it.
The judge said in his judgment that all four accused committed profanity.
The court in its 40-page verdict also asked the police to arrest the convicts, an official said.
He said that the convict can appeal in the regional high court in Gilgit-Baltistan.
On May 14 this year, Geo TV telecast the show in which Veena Malik and Asad Bashir Khan took part in a "fake wedding" in which Manqabat, a Sufi devotional song was rendered.
Manqabat, the Sufi devotional song is sung in praise of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, or of any Sufi saint.
The song was performed in Geo TV host Shaista Waheedi's show "Utho Jaago Pakistan".
On May 17 this year, a court in Pakistan ordered police to file a case against all the four convicts in which it was alleged that they insulted the family members of Prophet Muhammad. Since then, Geo TV has supended Shaista Waheedi's show.
The bone of contention was over the Manqabat Qawwali "Ali and Zohra's marriage".
How Pakistani actor Veena Malik became the unlikely poster girl for freedom of expression: http://t.co/WaQjivCgCe pic.twitter.com/xeZobT99rH
— Firstpost (@firstpostin) November 26, 2014
Actress Veena Malik had married Pakistani businessman Asad Bashir Khan in Dubai on December 25, 2013 after a long relationship.There are reports that all four are out of Pakistan. Rahman resides in the UAE and the other three also went abroad after receiving threats by militant organisations.
Me,my sweet mama @iVeenaKhan & loving baba @Asadbashirr,We r happy family.Please remembers us in urs precious prayers pic.twitter.com/cV1V9X0els
— Abram Khan (@iAbramKhan) October 13, 2014
It is not known when the arrests would be carried out. Both Wahidi and the Geo group have tendered apology after the allegations were levelled but the extremists in the country refused to accept it.
Other blasphemy cases were also registered against them in various cities, including Karachi and Islamabad.
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