No evidence found against bloggers accused of blasphemy, FIA tells IHC

ISLAMABAD - The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday that no evidence was found against the five bloggers accused of publishing blasphemous content online.

The disclosure was made during the hearing of the case related to online blasphemous content before Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, who remarked that no action should be taken against the accused if no evidence could be found against them.

"If a person falsely accuses someone of blasphemy, he or she is guilty on double accounts," remarked Justice Siddiqui.

The IHC judge pronounced that the bench will decide whether the evidence against the accused was insufficient or if they were falsely accused of blasphemy.

He maintained that committing blasphemy fell in the ambit of terrorism.

On the occasion, FIA officials complained that there were only 15 investigation officers whereas the agency had received 12,000 complaints of cybercrime.

"Despite these limitations, the agency is carrying out its work,"the FIA officials informed.

Earlier, in March, the IHC bench had directed the FIA to investigate the role of the five bloggers - Salman Haider, Waqas Goraya and Asim Saeed, Ahmed Raza Naseer and Samar Abbas - in posting blasphemous content on the social media.

The said bloggers were picked up on allegations of blasphemy in January but were released after three weeks.