In a landmark verdict, an anti-terrorism court has sentenced four individuals to death for allegedly spreading religious hatred on social media.
The convicts, identified as Rana Usman, Ashfaq Ali, Salman Sajjad, and Wajid Ali, were found guilty under Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). The accused have also been charged under sections 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 298-A, 34 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Tariq Ayub delivered the verdict, which also included a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of Rs1 million each for the accused.
The case, registered in October 2022, highlighted the severity of using digital platforms to incite religious discord and violence. The accused have been sentenced on charges of disseminating allegedly blasphemous content through certain Facebook pages they were said to be operating.
