Police in Pakistan arrested a Christian man beneath blasphemy legal guidelines on Sunday as a part of a bid by his siblings to take revenge on him over a property dispute, sources mentioned.
The arrests got here on the identical day a key authorities minister admitted on the ground of the Nationwide Meeting that the state had failed to guard Pakistan's non secular minorities in opposition to false accusations of blasphemy.
Officers from the Okara A-Division police station arrested Chand Shamaun, 26, from his dwelling in Christian Colony in Okara district of Punjab province in response to a dispute he had together with his siblings over his share of their ancestral dwelling final evening, he mentioned. space Christian chief Younis Chauhan.
Chauhan mentioned he was current with different Christians when Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mehr Yousaf arrived with different officers.
“The police requested us if we knew something concerning the desecration of the Koran incident within the colony,” Chauhan instructed Christian Day by day Worldwide-Morning Star Information. “After we instructed them that no such incident came about, DSP Yousaf instructed me to take them to Chand Shamaun's home. After reaching the spot, the police arrested Chand's elder brother Zeeshan Shamaun, who was sleeping on the time.”
Chand Shamaun arrived and was additionally taken into custody, he mentioned.
Chauhan mentioned that when residents of the world requested the police why they have been arresting the 2 brothers, Yousaf mentioned that they had acquired info that Chand Shamaun had desecrated the Quran.
“We instructed the police that though the siblings usually argued over their share of the property, there was no blasphemy,” Chauhan mentioned. “The DSP has assured us that the brothers can be prosecuted beneath Sections 147 and 151 of the Pakistan Penal Code for disturbing public peace and will get bail in courtroom on Monday.”
Nevertheless, they have been shocked just a few hours later when eight to 10 police automobiles arrived and closed the streets resulting in Chand Shamaun's home, he mentioned.
“That's after we realized that the police had registered the primary info report [FIR] in opposition to Chand beneath Part 295-A [of Pakistan’s blasphemy statutes] and Part 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997,” he mentioned.
Part 295-A offers imprisonment for as much as 10 years for “willful and malicious acts supposed to outrage the non secular sentiments of any class by insulting their faith or non secular beliefs”. Part 9 of the ATA 1997 offers with “acts which have or are more likely to incite sectarian hatred” and is punishable by as much as seven years' imprisonment.
Chauhan mentioned a number of Christian households, seeing the police deployment, locked their properties and left the colony, fearing that the blasphemy prices might spark violent protests from Islamist teams.
“Thankfully, there have been no protests within the metropolis and residents began returning to their properties,” he mentioned.
Chand Shamaun works as an ambulance driver and has two minor kids, he mentioned. His brother Zeeshan was nonetheless in police custody on the time of writing. Their members of the family couldn’t be reached for remark.
Abraham Daniel, Bishop of Sahiwal Baptist Church criticized the police for registering false FIRs in opposition to Christians.
“The FIR registered on the grievance of police sub-inspector Haider Ali states that he and 5 different policemen have been standing outdoors the district headquarters of Okara Hospital when Chand Shamaun got here there and began shouting that he was going to burn the Quran due to his variations with Zeeshan. and his sister Zunaira who transformed to Islam a while in the past,” Daniel instructed Christian Day by day Worldwide-Morning Star Information.
Based on Ali, when the police tried to arrest Chand Shamaun, he fled on foot to Christian Colony, he mentioned.
“I imagine that the allegation leveled in opposition to Chand relies on the police unhealthy religion“They turned a household dispute into a spiritual incident when in truth there was no blasphemy.”
He mentioned he regretted that blasphemy legal guidelines have been being blatantly abused in opposition to Christians in Pakistan.
“False blasphemy accusations and instances have develop into the norm right here,” he mentioned. “The state of affairs has reached some extent the place whole neighborhoods are being deserted on mere allegations. The case in opposition to Chand is worrying as a result of the complainant shouldn’t be a non-public particular person however a police officer who apparently fabricated the incident.”
“Harmful Minorities”
Additionally on Sunday, Protection Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, addressing a particular session of the Nationwide Meeting, mentioned he deplored the rising incidents of mob violence in opposition to non secular minorities in Pakistan.
“Minorities are being murdered every day,” Asif mentioned. “No non secular minority is protected in Pakistan. Even smaller sects of Muslims aren’t protected.”
The minister mentioned that the treasury members wish to introduce a decision within the Home in assist of non secular minorities.
“Our structure offers safety to minorities however we’re virtually witnessing their killing in Swat, Sargodha and Faisalabad,” he mentioned. “It’s a matter of concern and embarrassment [for the nation].”
Sooner or later on June 20, a Muslim resident of Sialkot was lynched by a mob at Madyan police station in Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Police arrested Muhammad Suleman for allegedly desecrating the Koran. The mob not solely killed him however set hearth to his physique together with the police station and official car.
On Might 25, a frenzied Muslim mob together with ladies and youngsters beat 74-year-old Christian Nazeer Masih Gill with stones and sticks after a neighborhood rival accused him of burning pages of the Koran. The mob additionally set hearth to Gill's shoe manufacturing unit and home. He underwent two head surgical procedures, however succumbed to his accidents 9 days later, on June 3.
Allegations of blasphemy haven’t been confirmed in opposition to any of those individuals, Asif instructed the Home.
“We have now to make sure the security of our minority brothers and sisters,” he mentioned. “They’ve the identical proper to reside on this nation as the bulk. Pakistan belongs to all Pakistanis, no matter whether or not they’re Muslim, Christian, Sikh or of another religion. Our structure ensures full safety to minorities.”
Federal Legislation Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar later learn a decision emphasizing that “the proper to life is probably the most treasured proper enshrined within the Structure of Pakistan”.
“This Home takes severe be aware of the current mob lynching of our residents accused of crimes in Swat and Sargodha,” Tarar learn. “It ought to be famous that such incidents have been on the rise in varied components of the nation lately.
The decision additional known as on the federal and provincial governments to “guarantee the security and safety of all residents, together with non secular minorities and different weak sections of society.”
The Nationwide Meeting thus particularly known as on the “provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to take instant and needed measures to determine, examine and prosecute these concerned in these incidents beneath related legal guidelines”.
“The Home additional expressed its expectation that the courts will guarantee immediate and speedy justice in these instances and emphasised the necessity for swift authorized motion to forestall future occurrences of such tragic occasions,” the decision concluded.
As within the earlier yr, Pakistan was ranked seventh on the listing of probably the most tough locations for Christianity within the Open Doorways 2024 World Watch Record.
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