0
FAISALABAD, July 16: A Jaranwala blasphemy case accused on Tuesday denied issuance of any decree against US national Afraz Jawed and leading attack on his in-laws’ house.
A media team, also comprising foreign journalists, interviewed Mazhar Hussain in the Jaranwala lock-up after visiting the village 111-GB.
The Imam of the village mosque, Hussain is behind the bars along with Zubair and Hafiz Latif on charges of issuing a death decree against Jawed and instigating a mob.
“No one passed any decree. The motive behind this concocted story is that the Afraz family is bent upon acquiring the mosque land,” he claimed.
Hussain said he had purchased the land for Rs375,000 from a relative of Naseem, the father-in-law of Afraz.
Naseem who was interviewed by newsmen earlier in the day admitted that the land was owned by Hussain. He said he did file a suit for pre-emption in a civil court on the ground that the land could not be sold under the Islamic laws. “The case was withdrawn when Sipah-i-Sahaba men, at the behest of Mazhar Hussain, gave me life threats,” he said.
Disputing Naseem’s claim, Hussain said the case was withdrawn following an agreement reached in a court of law when he paid Muhammad Naseem Rs 35,000 as expenses incurred by him (Naseem) in filing the case.
LIFE THREATS: Talking to newsmen, Naseem said he and his family members were receiving threats from militants for pursuing the case registered by Jaranwala police against Hussain and two others.
He said the accused had issued the decree against Afraz Jawed when he stopped the Imam (Mazhar Hussain) from speaking against the US
When a foreign journalist introduced himself as a reporter of the USA Today, Mr Naseem appealed to the US government to migrate them the US “otherwise the Maulvis would kill us.”
About Afraz, he said he had gone to Faisalabad to buy medicines and would return at night. When the media team was on its way back, Afraz appeared in a car and refused to discuss the matter.”
Sitting on the driving wheel he said he said was under mental stress and was about to leave the village.
