An additional district and sessions judge reserved his decision on a petition seeking the registration of a case against actress Meera and her husband Captain Naveed till April 3 (today).
Advocate Amir Saeed Rawn, representing Shabir Muhammad, said that Meera and her husband had damaged the image of Pakistani society by releasing an “immoral” video clip. He said it was a cognisable offence under Sections 294 and 496 of PPC (obscene acts; non-marital sex) and Section 13 of Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance 2009 (cyber stalking). Rawn said that the couple had released the video on YouTube, which was public space. He said that it was unIslamic even if they were married. He said instead of earning a good name for Pakistan, Meera was maligning it and should be punished for it. Meera’s counsel Ahmed Fahim Bhatti said that Islam also did not allow people to watch such videos and yet the petitioner had keenly done so. Moreover, the petitioner claimed to have watched the video on YouTube, which is banned in the country, so this would also be a contravention of law. He said there was no law that established a cognisable offence in this matter. He said that the petition was not maintainable and requested the court to dismiss it.
Shabir Muhammad has said that he watched a video featuring Meera and her husband on January 20. He said the video had damaged the image of Pakistan. He requested the court to direct police to register a case against Meera and her husband and have their names placed on the Exit Control List.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2014.