Religious freedom subject to law, policy and morality: Federal Constitutional Court

The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has ruled that fundamental rights, including the right to religious freedom, are not absolute and must be balanced against broader public considerations. The court dismissed petitions challenging the government's ban on a 23-volume Ahmadiyya publication. Headed by Justice Aamer Farooq, a two-judge bench delivered the ruling, which upheld the ban based on the decision of the Ulema board and the order from the chief secretary's office.

The petitioners, led by Muhammad Abdul Qadoos, argued that the ban infringed upon their right to religious freedom guaranteed by Article 20 of the Constitution. The FCC affirmed that Article 20 applies religious freedom subject to law, public policy, and morality. The court examined the legality of the ban and the forfeiting of the publication's copies, concluding that the executive action complied with the statutory framework and did not violate the petitioners' rights.

The FCC dismissed all petitions and refused leave to appeal, concluding that the executive action was legally sound and did not infringe upon religious freedom.