Leader of Islamist party arrested for bounty on Pakistani chief justice – JURIST

Pakistani police on Monday announced the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Labaik (TLP) deputy chairman Zaheerul Hassan Shah for placing a bounty on Chief Justice of Pakistan’s Parliament Qazi Faez Esa, local media reported. Hassan Shah had placed the Rs 10 million bounty on Esa because the chief justice allegedly supports the minority Ahmadi community.

Lahore police have charged Hassan Shah under the Anti-Terrorism Act with religious hatred, sedition and attempting to exert pressure on the judiciary. The indictment against Hassan Shah also includes charges such as “contempt of superior judiciary”, interference in government and obstruction of legal duties. 1,500 other members of the TLP were also named in the indictment.

Hassan Shah was arrested while hiding in the town of Okara after announcing the bounty during a protest outside a press club.

Esa was criticised by many extremist groups in Pakistan for releasing an Ahmadi suspect on bail, even though Esa was not a judge in the case. The Sindh High Court issued an order releasing on bail an Ahmadi suspect who was charged with blasphemy under Section 298B of the Pakistan Penal Code for using the title “Syed” in his name. The title “Syed” is given only to descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Ahmadi community first came into the spotlight after the Pakistani parliament declared them non-Muslims and included this in the Pakistani constitution. Since then, the Ahmadi community has been the target of criticism and condemnation by extremist groups. The UN expressed “grave concern” about the “discrimination and violence” against the Ahmadi community in Pakistan, citing reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, attacks on places of worship and restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. The UN called on the Pakistani authorities to “take immediate action to remedy this situation”.