Court acquits Saba Qamar, Bilal Saeed in Wazir Khan mosque case

LAHORE: A sessions court on Monday acquitted actor Saba Qamar and singer Bilal Saeed in the case of alleged desecration of Wazir Khan mosque by shooting an “immoral” video.

In March, a judicial magistrate had dismissed acquittal applications of both artists and they challenged the order in the sessions court.

Asking the court to allow the acquittal applications, the defence counsel argued that there was a delay of ten days in registration of the FIR. He said an inquiry conducted by the Punjab Auqaf Department declared the petitioners innocent. He said the report maintained that no immoral act had been committed in the mosque.

He said no dance or music took place at the mosque as alleged in the FIR. He said the petitioners had been implicated in the case for ulterior motives.

Read more: Saba Qamar, Bilal Saeed Criticized For Dancing, Filming In Wazir Khan Mosque

The acquittal plea maintained that the case was registered only to blackmail the accused Bilal Saeed and Saba Qamar as there was no scene of dancing recorded in the mosque premises.

They pleaded that they got permission from the Auqaf Department to film the song ‘Qabool Hay’ and no witnesses complained about the shooting of the song in the mosque.

It was argued that the advocate Farhat Manzoor Chandio was not a witness at the spot when the filming was recorded and there was no evidence to violate the sanctity of the mosque, hence, both may be acquitted from the case.

Opposing the acquittal, a prosecutor argued that the petitioners performed dance in the mosque. He said a video of the dance was available with the prosecution. He asked the court to dismiss the acquittal applications of the petitioners and let the prosecution establish its case with evidence.

Advocate Farhat Manzoor Chandio, the complainant, pleaded that the culprits trampled upon the sanctity of the mosque by their act which also sparked an outrage among the citizens.

After hearing the arguments from all sides, Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Mushtaq announced his verdict and acquitted both the artists of the charges of desecration of Wazir Khan mosque.

Akbari Gate police had registered an FIR against the duo under section 295 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) following a court’s direction to act on an application of a lawyer as per law and decide whether a cognizable offence was made out.

The section deals with the offence of injuring or defiling a place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class.

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