LAHORE: A Christian teenager was booked on the blasphemy charges allegedly for desecrating the Holy Quran at Alipur Chahtha in Wazirabad tehsil on Aug 12.

The complainant, Arshad Ali, an Imam at Masjid Ghusia Rizvia Mohalla Eidgah, Jamk Chatha, alleged that he along with Nawaz Machi were present at the shrine of Pir Sanday Shah at Geoki Khurd village when the 16-year-old suspect entered the premises of the shrine, picked up the Holy Quran and set it on fire on the stairs of the shrine. He said they rushed to the spot but the suspect had fled from the scene. They extinguished the fire but not before it had damaged the holy book.

The Alipur Chatha Police Station registered a case under 295/B of Pakistan Penal Code and later arrested the suspect who was reportedly being tortured by the mob.

According to the media reports, the father of the suspect who collects scrap at the around the shrine, denied the charges, saying that his son had been implicated in the false case by Nawaz who also collected plastic bottles and papers at the shrine over a grudge.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2017