After 19 Years In Prison, Wajihul Hassan, A Blasphemy Convict, Is Finally Acquitted By SC

Wajihul Hassan, a blasphemy convict was given death sentence in 2002 by Additional District and Sessions Judge Lahore.

What’s the story?

Wajihul Hassan was convicted for allegedly uttering blasphemous remarks against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and other prophets.

Senior Advocate Muhammad Ismail Qureshi – the plaintiff – had accused the Hassan of sending him blasphemous letters in 1999. Qureshi had maintained that although the letters did not carry identifier but he was “sure that Wajihul Hassan was behind them.”

An FIR was consequently registered under sections 295-C [use of derogatory remarks in respect of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)], 295-A (malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings) and 298-A (use of derogatory remarks in respect of holy personages).

According to Advocate Ismail Qureshi, he had been receiving blasphemous letters for sometime as he had been an active member of the movement that had eventually gotten Ahmadis declared as non-Muslims.

At the time of filing the complain, Qureshi had also alleged that Hassan had converted to Christianity, implying that it was his change in faith that motivated him to utter blasphemous remarks.

The investigation

Qureshi handed over seven letters to the court attributing them to Hassan. He also produced 10 witnesses who said that they had seen Hassan uttering blasphemous remarks.

Read: Pakistanis Are Heart-Broken After Mob Violence In Alleged Ghotki Blasphemy Case

Hassan on the other hand maintained his innocence and said that he was a Muslim and believed in the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and would never dare to utter or write any blasphemous remarks.

The lower court verdict in Wajihul Hassan blasphemy case

In 2002, a session court in Lahore awarded Hassan death sentence and slapped a Rs. 0.2 million fine under section 295-C.

2019 verdict by Supreme Court

On 25 September 2019, Supreme Court of Pakistan after revisiting the case in great detail found Wajihul Hassan to be innocent. After spending 19 long years in jail for a crime he never committed, Hassan is finally a free man.

Pakistan's Supreme Court has acquitted Wajeeh-ul-Hassan, 41, a man who has spent 17 years on death row for "blasphemy", his lawyer tells AJE. Hassan was accused of writing "blasphemous letters" to the complainant, a Lahore-based lawyer, in 1999.

— Asad Hashim (@AsadHashim) September 25, 2019

Hassan becomes only the third Pakistani accused of blasphemy whose appeal has ever been heard by the Supreme Court – the SC has upheld all three appeals, acquitting each of the accused, notably Aasia Bibi in 2018.

— Asad Hashim (@AsadHashim) September 25, 2019