Lahore court directs FIA to await Ulema Board’s fatwa before deciding on case against Dr Arif Alvi
A Lahore district court has instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to await the opinion of the Ulema Board before deciding whether to take legal action against former president Dr Arif Alvi over alleged blasphemous remarks in a video clip circulating on social media.
The petition, filed by Shehzada Adnan through advocate Mudassir Chaudhry, claimed that Dr Alvi had made blasphemous statements in the viral video. Additional District and Sessions Judge Shafqat Shahbaz Raja, while disposing of the case, said the FIA must act under the law if the board’s opinion indicates a cognisable offence.
The FIA reported that the matter is under formal inquiry, assigned to NCCIA Sub-Inspector Abdul Basit. The petitioner has already participated in the proceedings and submitted evidence. The video has been sent to the Ulema Board for a fatwa, after which the inquiry will be concluded based on merit.
The petitioner’s counsel contested the FIA’s position, arguing that the board’s religious ruling was irrelevant to the FIR process and noting that the video was not fully audible.
This petition follows an earlier attempt that was dismissed on procedural grounds, as the petitioner had approached the police instead of the NCCIA — the body mandated to handle cyber-related complaints.
The court’s latest ruling underscores that any further steps in the case depend on the Ulema Board’s findings.