Present resolution in the UN on prophet cartoons: Pak judge

A Pakistani judge who recently directed authorities to block Facebook today ordered the country's envoy to the UN to present a resolution conveying the "hurt and discomfort" of the people over the publication of blasphemous caricatures on the social networking website.

Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry of the Lahore high court issued the order in a detailed order regarding his decision to end the blocking of Facebook till June 15.

The judge had on May 31 directed authorities to allow access to Facebook, nearly two weeks after he had ordered the blocking of the website.

In his detailed order, the judge said the resolution should be presented in the UN's General Assembly to protect the deeply sensitive and emotional values of a majority of the population of Pakistan.

"The foreign ministry is directed to direct its Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations at its headquarters in New York to present a resolution in the context (of) the UN Resolution on Combating Defamation of Religions, conveying the discomfort of the Pakistani people," the order said.

The judge further asked the foreign ministry to comply with the court's directions "in letter and spirit" by June 15, the next date for the hearing of the matter.

The foreign ministry should also submit a written and official copy of the direction sent to Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the UN regarding the presentation of the resolution, the judge said.

In case of non-compliance with the court's order, the Foreign Minister will have to appear in court to explain his position, Justice Chaudhry said.

The UN resolution on Combating Defamation of Religions came into force in November 2007 and was made part of international laws, the court’s order said.

"The canons of Islam do not prohibit or limit any individual’s right to freedom of expression and speech.

Rather it emulates the phrase, ‘Your liberty ends where the nose of the other persons starts’, meaning thereby that any right to freedom of expression and speech of one person would not prejudice the right of self-respect and dignity of the other person," the judge said in his order.

"The core issue involved in the instant matter was the publication of blasphemous material which was viewed as a deliberate attempt to malign the very holy and sanctimonious stature of Prophet (Mohammed) and any regulation made for the protection of the deeply sensitive and emotional sentiments should not be viewed as (being) in conflict with an individual’s universally accepted rights of freedom, expressions and speech," the order said.

Acting on a petition filed by a group of lawyers, Justice Chaudhry directed authorities last month to block Facebook over a page hosting blasphemous caricatures.

Though the judge ended the ban, he has said he will review his decision at the next hearing on June 15.

Pakistani authorities have so far blocked about 1,200 links over blasphemous and sacrilegious contents.