Hindu man arrested on blasphemy expenses in Pakistan

A Hindu man in Pakistan’s Punjab province has been arrested for allegedly committing blasphemy by making ‘disrespectful’ feedback about Muslim holy locations and shifted to jail to guard him from an enraged mob, police mentioned on Monday.

The police took the suspect – recognized as Akbar Ram of West of Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 kms from provincial capital Lahore – into custody on the grievance filed by Faisal Munir, an individual from his space, who produced two witnesses earlier than the police to make a case in opposition to him.

Inspector Safdar Hussain of Kotsamaba Police Station Rahim Yar Khan advised PTI on Monday that police arrested suspect Akbar Ram underneath blasphemy expenses on August 11 and instantly shifted him to jail on judicial remand fearing a law-and-order state of affairs within the village.

“Had we kept the blasphemy suspect in the police station it might have triggered a law-and-order situation in the area as he was accused of hurting the sentiments of Muslims,” Hussain mentioned.

Akbar Ram has been booked each underneath blasphemy legislation (295-A of Pakistan Penal Code) and the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance.

The official added that the well timed arrival of police saved the lifetime of Akbar Ram.

“Police reached the village after learning that a Hindu man had committed blasphemy and the people were gathering near his house. Police controlled the situation and took Akbar Ram into custody as the mob was demanding that he should be handed over to them,” he mentioned.

According to the FIR, a duplicate of which is obtainable with PTI, complainant Faisal Munir, a motor mechanic by occupation, mentioned that he was current at his workshop together with Tahiq Majid and Muhammad Tariq when Akbar Ram got here there and began making feedback disrespectful to Muslim holy locations.

The complainant additional alleged that Akbar Ram earlier than committing blasphemy in entrance of many individuals on August 11 additionally used to make objectionable feedback about Islam earlier than him.

The relations of Akbar Ram have reportedly fled the village after blasphemy expenses had been hurled at him to save lots of their lives.

Pakistan is among the many international locations the place blasphemy is punishable by loss of life. Blasphemy is a vastly delicate problem within the nation, the place even unproven allegations can stir mobs and violence.

In 2021, a Sri Lankan nationwide who was working as a manufacturing facility supervisor in Punjab province was killed by an indignant mob over allegations of blasphemy.

Minorities together with Christians and Hindus in Pakistan have ceaselessly been subjected to blasphemy allegations and a few had been tried and even sentenced underneath the robust blasphemy legislation.

According to the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Pakistan’s blasphemy legal guidelines are “controversial” with public opinion in two distinct camps.

One camp believes the legal guidelines to be completely important and essential for the safety of Muslims’ sentiments. The different view is that the legal guidelines are draconic, leveraged by vested pursuits to primarily goal minorities, and used to settle private vendettas and disputes.

Published On:

Aug 14, 2023