Tag: blasphemy

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan strongly condemns another BJP official’s remarks against Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    Pakistan has strongly condemned the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks against the Holy Prophet (PBUH) by another official of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

    Indian police had on Tuesday detained BJP leader T. Raja Singh, a lawmaker in the southern state of Telangana, on suspicion of “promoting enmity in the name of religion” after Muslim groups demanded his arrest for his comments about the Holy Prophet (PBUH), reports Dawn.

    “Pakistan condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the highly provocative and sacrilegious remarks made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH), by Raja Singh, a BJP official and a member of the state legislative assembly of the Indian state of Telangana,” a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) read.

    “These highly derogatory remarks have gravely hurt the feelings of the people of Pakistan and billions of Muslims around the world.”

    Pakistan demands the Indian government to take immediate and decisive action against the BJP members habitually involved in attacking Islam and targeting the dignity of beloved Prophet (PBUH),” the statement added.

    “The fact is that India is nothing more than an undeclared ‘Hindu Rashtra’ where Muslims are routinely denigrated, dispossessed and marginalised and their religious beliefs are trampled under majoritarian hegemonism.”

    The FO also called out the “deafening silence” of the top BJP leadership on the abhorrent incident, saying it manifestly reflected their approval and complete support to the radical Hindu zealots within and beyond the BJP.

    In June, BJP spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, also passed derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

  • Twitterati praise Police, Rangers for saving blasphemy-accused from charged mob

    Twitterati praise Police, Rangers for saving blasphemy-accused from charged mob

    The Sindh Police and Rangers dispersed a mob that had gathered outside the home of a Hindu sanitary worker accused of alleged blasphemy on Sunday. The incident took place in Hyderabad, Sindh.

    People on social media are praising the role of the law enforcement agencies for saving the accused from the charged mob.

    Have a look at some reactions:

    https://twitter.com/alysalmaan/status/1561453107803979776

    https://twitter.com/Natsecjeff/status/1561386456739971073
    What happened?

    According to the police, a Hindu sanitary worker was targeted as a result of a personal dispute with a local resident. The accused man has been identified as Ashok Kumar, and he was charged with blasphemy under Section 295-B for allegedly desecrating the Quran.

    The case was registered on the complaint of Bilal, son of Bundo Khan Abbasi.

    After the news spread, a charged mob gathered around an apartment building and demanded that he should be handed over.

    Police then dispersed the violent mob.

  • ‘First time in history’: PM Shehbaz approves task force for protection of minority rights

    ‘First time in history’: PM Shehbaz approves task force for protection of minority rights

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has approved the formation of a task force that will look after the implementation of minority rights in Pakistan.

    An official notification in this regard states, “In light of the resolution passed by the National Assembly on May 9, 2022, the prime minister has been pleased to approve the constitution of the task force on minorities to oversee the implementation of rights of minorities in light with the decision of the apex court.”

    The task force will be headed by Member of National Assembly (MNA) Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani. It comprises 23 parliamentarians, senators and ex-officio members.

    As chairman of the task force, Dr Vankwani tweeted that such a step had been taken “for the first time in the history of Pakistan”.

    In another tweet, he said, “Recommendations will be made for the solution of the problems faced by the minorities and we will take people from all the segments of the society along with us.”

    In 2014, the Supreme Court (SC) issued an order that there should be monitoring of the practical realisation of the rights and safeguards provided to the minorities under the Constitution and law.

    However, the governments over the years could not implement the SC orders.

    In 2020, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the surge in blasphemy cases against religious minorities, and the potential for sectarian violence.

  • ‘Use of blasphemy laws for political purposes is also blasphemy’: Justice Minallah

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has prohibited the police from filing blasphemy cases.

    The order was issued by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Wednesday while hearing a petition filed by former federal information minister Fawad Chaudhry to prevent the police from arresting Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members who were charged with blasphemy after a hooliganism incident in Masjid-e-Nabawi.

    Justice Minallah said the use of blasphemy laws for political purposes is also blasphemy.

    Before detaining somebody under the blasphemy laws, he noted, the police must satisfy the court of reasonable justification.

    The FIRs were filed by citizens, according to the deputy attorney general. CJ Minallah, on the other hand, interposed, claiming that the FIRs were filed with malicious intent.

    During the hearing on May 2, the court ordered the police not to arrest the PTI leaders, stating that they are still members of the National Assembly and cannot be detained without the Speaker’s approval.

    Cases were registered against various PTI members including Chairman Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry, Shahbaz Gill, Sheikh Rashid, and his nephew Rashid Shafique, who have been charged for violating Pakistan Penal Code sections 295 (defiling a place of worship) and 296 (disturbing a religious assembly).

  • 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.

  • ‘The light that will always shine’: Mashal Khan being remembered on 5th death anniversary

    ‘The light that will always shine’: Mashal Khan being remembered on 5th death anniversary

    Social media is remembering Mashal Khan on his fifth death anniversary. He was lynched to death on charges of blasphemy.

    Mashal Khan, a 23-year-old student of the Department of Mass Communication at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, was lynched by a mob and shot over allegations of blasphemy on April 13, 2017.

    In June 2017, a 13-member joint investigation team concluded that the allegations of blasphemy against Mashal Khan were unfounded and were used as a pretext to incite a mob against him.

    Have a look at the tributes:

  • 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.

  • Violence after blasphemy accusation is against Islam: Council of Islamic Ideology

    Violence after blasphemy accusation is against Islam: Council of Islamic Ideology

    The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has stated that violence against any person on a blasphemy accusation contradicts Shariah, humanity, and the constitution. CII made an official statement in the Wednesday session presided by Chairperson of CII, Dr Qibla Ayaz.

    The council also advised the constitution of a national commission to formulate recommendations to prevent such incidents.

    The statement said, “again declared that subjecting any person to violence on allegations of dishonouring religion, desecration of the Holy Quran and Namoos-i-Risalat was against Shariah, inhumane and contrary to Islamic principles.”

    The statement added, “This meeting once again staunchly condemns such incidents and expresses deep sorrow over them. Such brutal torture by a violent mob is neither logical nor in line with the injunctions of the religion.”

    CII members also recommended that hadiths and verses related to humanity and protection of lives and property need to be displayed with translation in mosques, imambargahs, monasteries, and educational institutions.

    CII members also suggested that there should be a discussion on TV programmes on such verses of the Holy Quran and hadiths.

    “This special meeting suggests to the government that a national commission be formed, with psychologists and experts of sociology, law, and religion as its members, that will make short-term and long-term recommendations for the prevention of such incidents (that involve violence over blasphemy allegations) so as to end them,” the statement said.

    In a press conference after the meeting, Chairperson of CII condemned the incidents referring to Sialkot and Khanewal in which a violent mob took the law into their hands over alleged blasphemy charges.

    He said the delay in punishment for people involved in insulting Holy Prophet (PBUH) give rise to the lynching incidents of Sialkot and Khanewal.

    He also emphasised that the culprits of the Sialkot incident should be penalised at the earliest.