Tag: blasphemy charges

  • Police arrests 26 people and books over 400 for mob violence in Sargodha

    Police arrests 26 people and books over 400 for mob violence in Sargodha

    Sargodha police has arrested 26 people for mob violence and attempting to lynch a Christian man on Saturday while registering a case against 44 nominated and 300/400 unidentified suspects.

    The case was registered on behalf of the State of Pakistan with clauses included in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997.

    However, the police also registered a blasphemy case against the Christian man who was seriously injured in the mob attack.

    A worker of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) filed the blasphemy case.

    On May 25, a violent mob tried to lynch the Christian man. Multiple viral videos on social media show horrific scenes of violent mobs damaging, setting fire and looting the property.

    Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Iqbal and other police personnel at the scene rescued the man from the burning house but when he was brought out, the mob swarmed in and attacked him.

    The FIR also alleges that women were also a part of the crowd, inciting violence.

  • 19 children arrested on blasphemy charges in Punjab in 2023

    19 children arrested on blasphemy charges in Punjab in 2023

    Nineteen children have been arrested on charges of blasphemy across Punjab between January 1, 2023 and October 16, 2023.

    In an appeal submitted to the Punjab Information Commission by the director of Legal Awareness Watch, Sarmad Ali, it was revealed by the Inspectorate General of Punjab Prisons that 19 minors were arrested out of whom six are in prison while the rest have been released, The News has reported.

    Sarmad Ali explained to The News that several children in the country are facing charges carrying severe punishment. Some of these children are not even allowed to maintain their juvenility as explained by the law. Under Section 8 of the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, he explained, “Thus, owing to inadequate and effective implementation of [the] cited law which was promulgated in May 2018, many children have been [held] without fair trial or [have been] sentenced to severe punishment in sheer ignorance of the international standards and conventions which the state of Pakistan is signatory to.”

    The law also explains that children-even if dangerous-must be given their due rights. Sarmad added, “Children that are accused of having infringed any penal law must not be treated as adults as they cannot foresee the consequences of their actions.”

  • ‘Not satisfied with the investigation in Jaranwala incident’: Christian Community

    Grace Bible Fellowship Church Pakistan, a missionary trust, has filed a writ petition through its chairman Peter Charles requesting the court to order a judicial inquiry committee to ensure a fair investigation into and trial of the perpetrators of the Jaranwala incident.

    The petitioner states that an incident of alleged defiling of the Holy Quran, unfortunately, happened in Jaranwala, and through announcements from local mosques, a severe riot took place by a furious mob of Muslim devotees. The mob ransacked the properties of Christian residents, and the riotous elements torched more than 25 churches of and over 50 houses, along with household articles, using petrol bombs.

    Petition submits that the members of the Christian community of the area still live in a state of fear and at risk to their lives and liberty, alleging that the local administration and law enforcement authorities deliberately failed to control the violent mob and the law and order situation.

    It further states that although joint investigation teams (JITs) constituted by the government will submit their findings after completion of due course, which is a time taking practice, whereas the victims seek instant remedies to restore their routine life.

    Expressing its concerns over the working of the JITs, the Christian body says more than 500 suspects were involved in the riots, but the police have only arrested 25 to 30, just to save their skins. It alleges that police officials are also under undue pressure from influential extremist elements.

    The petition pleads that the Christian community is dissatisfied with the performance and discriminating behaviour of the police, as well as the proceedings of the JITs.

    It urges the court to restrain the police from engaging in illegal abduction, harassment and pressurising of the members of the Christian community at the behest of religious elements for any undue, unfair compromise and settlement.

    Advocate Shahbaz Fazal Saroya, the petitioner’s counsel, resubmitted the petition after removing the objections raised by the registrar’s office.

  • Police arrest Chinese worker on accusation of blasphemy

    Police arrest Chinese worker on accusation of blasphemy

    A Chinese worker at the Dasu Hydropower Project in Upper Kohistan was arrested by the police on Sunday after being accused of committing blasphemy by some of the laborers working on the location, Dawn has reported.

    The SHO of Komila confirmed the arrest and mentioned that an FIR has been lodged against the accused under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    The complaint was filed by Gulistan and Yasir. According to the complaint filed at the Komila police station, a mob attempting to break into a Chinese camp near Barseen was reported to police official Jehanzeb on Sunday night.

    “After receiving the information, a police party reached the site, took control of the area and safely shifted the accused to the Komila police station,” the complaint said.

    Despite the arrest, a large number of protesters arrived at Komila early on Monday and once again obstructed the Karakoram Highway while raising slogans against the Chinese man. However, following the police’s guarantee of filing an FIR, the protestors reopened the Karakoram Highway for traffic. Additionally, local religious leaders appealed to the demonstrators to end the protest.

  • Police arrest 60 suspects in Nankana Sahib lynching case

    Police arrest 60 suspects in Nankana Sahib lynching case

     The Nankana Sahib police arrested 60 suspects involved in the lynching of a man outside the police station on Saturday morning, reports Dawn.

    Several police teams launched a massive crackdown at the residences, business points, and other places to round up the suspects.

    Sheikhupura Regional Police Officer (RPO) Babar Sarfraz Alpa said that the police were very clear in its action against the attackers whether they were from any religious organsation or a political party.

    Mob storms police station, kills man accused of blasphemy

    A violent mob stormed a police station in Nankana Sahib on Saturday, dragging out a man accused of committing blasphemy before burning him to death.

    The man had been accused of desecrating the Holy Quran.

    Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police, Dr Usman Anwar, suspended Nankana Sahib Circle Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawaz Waraq and Warburton Station House Officer (SHO) Feroz Bhatti. The SHO and other police personnel allegedly ran away from the mob, trying to save their own lives.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif also took notice of the incident.

    “Why didn’t the police stop the violent mob? The rule of law should be ensured. No one should be allowed to influence the law,” he was quoted as saying in a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.

    Meanwhile, Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi has condemned the incident, saying killing and burning someone accused of blasphemy is a cruel act.

    This is not the first time that a mob has burnt a man to death on the suspicion of blasphemy. In 2021, Sri Lan­kan engineer Piryantha Kumara was burned to death on the alleged charges of blasphemy by his own factory workers in Sialkot. In 2017, Mashal Khan, a student of Abdul Wali Khan University was lynched by his peers within the premises of the institution on the same accusations.

  • Sharing dreams not grounds enough for blasphemy: LHC

    Sharing dreams not grounds enough for blasphemy: LHC

    The Lahore High Court (LHC) has said that the law can not prosecute anyone on the basis of them sharing something they saw in their dream, reports Dawn.

    The Honourable Court was hearing a case pertaining to a first information report (FIR) filed by the Saddar Police Station of Mianwali against a petitioner in accordance with Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). The petition was declared invalid by Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh.
    The complaint was filed by an ex-member of the Mianwali district council in August 2021. He said that in his dreams, the petitioner saw Allah and several of the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions as well as being able to fly.

    “The complainant further alleged that the petitioner had made similar statements before a crowd where two prosecution witnesses were also present. He claimed that such propagation hurt the community’s religious feelings and was likely to incite violence,” the petition alleged.

    A petitioner’s attorney claimed that the first information report (FIR) was politically motivated and dishonest. The only specific allegation against the petitioner was that he told a group of people about his dreams and claimed to have seen God and certain holy personages. “Such narration is not an offence under Section 295-A PPC,” the counsel added.
    “We find that the offence under section 295-A PPC is not made out”, said Justice Sheikh before discussing the merits of the case.
    “There is no evidence to suggest that the petitioner intended to offend or harm the religious sensibilities of the complainant or any other person with his statements,” the judge maintained.

  • Miftah Ismail reacts to ‘hate campaign’ against him by former PTI ministers

    Miftah Ismail reacts to ‘hate campaign’ against him by former PTI ministers

    Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has reacted to a hate campaign launched against him by former minister for human rights Shireen Mazari and former Prime Minister’s spokesperson Shahbaz Gill.

    Mazari accused Miftah of using ‘religion card’ against Imran Khan. Miftah, while reacting to the organised hate campaign, said: “Imran Khan used religion for politics but now his ministers have also resorted to this method. And in order to do so, they also have to lie.”

    In a video clip shared on social media, Miftah said: “The former prime minister essentially then started talking about some Quranic verses, Amr bil Maroof wa Nahi anil Munkar (promotion of virtue and prevention of vices). Somehow, we (the Opposition) were the standard-bearers of vice and he was the standard-bearer of virtue.”

    Twitter users are condemning Mazari’s tweet.

    Mazari’s daughter, without naming anyone, also came forward to condemn the hate campaign and putting people’s lives in danger.

  • Six sentenced to death in Sialkot Sri Lankan’s mob lynching

    Six sentenced to death in Sialkot Sri Lankan’s mob lynching

    An anti-terrorism court on Monday sentenced to death six accused involved in Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan national working in Pakistan who was lynched by a mob in Sialkot on Dec 3, 2021 .

    The ATC also handed down life imprisonment to nine co-accused persons each, jailed one co-accused for five years and sentenced to two years in prison each 72 other co-accused persons.

    “The prosecution team testified a total of 43 witnesses in the court to prove the crime against the suspects,” Punjab Prosecution Department Secretary Nadeem Sarwar informed media persons during a press conference.

    “In less than a month, the prosecution completed the testimonies of witnesses. After that, the court gave them a full chance to defend themselves. Today, the ATC Gujranwala, upon the crime being proven, has punished 88 accused while one has been acquitted”, he informed.

    Read more- Priyantha Kumara lynching trial case shifts to Lahore Kot Lakhpat Jail

    In December, last year, 49-year-old Priyantha Kumara was tortured to death on the alleged charges of blasphemy by an angry mob. He was working as a manager at a private sportswear manufacturing factory in Sialkot.

  • Female teacher killed after 13-year old girl ‘saw’ her committing blasphemy ‘in her dream’

    Female teacher killed after 13-year old girl ‘saw’ her committing blasphemy ‘in her dream’

    In a horrific incident, female madrassa teachers have allegedly ‘slaughtered’ their fellow teacher for allegedly committing blasphemy in Dera Ismail Khan on Tuesday, Journalist Iftikhar Firdous tweeted.

    “Female Madrassa teachers have slaughtered another female teacher from the same seminary in the street leading to the seminary this morning an official from Dera Ismail Khan has confirmed, the reason they cited has been alleged blasphemy. Two women have been arrested so far,” the tweet read.

    However, as per Dawn, three women have been arrested. According to the first information report (FIR), when police reached the location, they saw the victim lying in a pool of blood with her throat slashed.

    As per, DPO Hasnain the suspects are 17, 21 and 24 years of age. They killed the 21-year-old victim over allegations of blasphemy and “difference of opinion on religious issues.” The victim, he added, was a devotee of well-known Islamic scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel, who the accused didn’t like.

    The suspects further claim that a 13-year-old female relative witnessed a dream in which she learned of the alleged blasphemy committed by the victim and was then “ordered to slaughter her”, according to the DPO. The relative who claimed to see the dream has also been arrested.

  • Court sentences Hindu teacher to life in prison over ‘blasphemy’ charges

    Court sentences Hindu teacher to life in prison over ‘blasphemy’ charges

    A session court sentenced a Hindu teacher, Nautan Lal, to life imprisonment over charges of ‘blasphemy’ in Ghotki, a district in Sindh. He was fined Rs50,000 as well, reports SAMAA News.

    The verdict was announced by the additional session judge, Mumtaz Ali Solangi today. The court took two years to convict Nautan Lal who has been in jail since 2019 as an undertrial prisoner.

    According to the verdict, he is charged with Section 265-H of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

    A case was also registered against Lal under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). He was accused of passing derogatory remarks about the Holy Prophet P.B.U.H

    He was sent back to Central jail in Sukkur. His requests for bail have been rejected twice for the past two years.

    In September 2019, a video was circulated across social media in which an intermediate student claimed that the owner of Ghotki’s Sindh Public Higher Secondary School committed blasphemy.

    Member of Jamaat Ahle Sunnat, Mufti Adul Karim Sayeedi registered a blasphemy case against the school owner.

    However, teachers clarified that the Nautan Lal did not teach at the school but he just visited on that day. He used to teach Physics at Government Degree College Ghotki.

    A protest erupted in the town and a violent mob attacked the Hindu Temple in Ghotki and damaged its idols.