ISLAMABAD; An intra-court appeal has been filed in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) challenging the single bench’s decision to direct the federal government to establish a commission to investigate allegations related to blasphemy.
The appeal seeks to set aside the decision of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan and declares the original petition as non-maintainable.
Filed by Rao Abdul Rahim, the appeal argues that the single bench exceeded its jurisdiction by exercising suo motu powers beyond the scope of the original petition. It states that the court issued directives without giving the appellant an adequate opportunity to respond to the claims raised by the petitioners.
The petitioner contends that forming a commission in a matter of criminal nature, especially related to blasphemy, is inconsistent with existing legal frameworks and rulings from the superior judiciary. He maintains that criminal allegations should be investigated under the established criminal justice system and that the formation of a commission bypasses due legal process.
Moreover, the appeal claims the decision to constitute the commission was taken in haste, and without ensuring a fair hearing of all parties involved. It also criticizes the timeline given—one month—for the federal government to set up the commission, terming it impractical and legally questionable.
Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan had earlier directed the federal government to constitute the commission within 30 days to probe blasphemy-related complaints, sparking both legal and public debate on the scope and implications of such a move.
