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A Christian man in Lahore has been sentenced to death for blasphemy after he sent a Muslim friend a poem on WhatsApp that insulted Islam, a lawyer said Friday.
The accused was charged in July last year after his friend, Yasir Bashir, complained to police that he received a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory toward the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and other holy figures.
The accused “was handed a death sentence by the court on Thursday on blasphemy charges,” defence lawyer Anjum Wakeel told AFP, alleging that his client was been framed by Bashir.
“My client will appeal the sentence in the high court as he has been framed by his friend who was annoyed over his [the accused's] affair with a Muslim girl,” Wakeel said.
He said the trial was held inside a prison due to security reasons after local clerics had threatened the accused and his family.
Court officials confirmed the sentence.
Blasphemy has been a contentious issue in the country where people have been murdered over allegations of sacrilege. Earlier this year, a mob in Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan beat up a student, Mashal Khan, to death after accusing him of blasphemy over social media.
The incident caused an outrage across the country, with calls for the blasphemy law to be amended. The investigation into Mashal's murder was concluded after a joint investigation team probing the case cleared him of all blasphemy charges.
Pakistan is cracking down against blasphemy related crimes on social media with former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar threatening to block all social media websites with 'blasphemous content' earlier this year.
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Sep 15, 2017 03:39pm
Let courts decide what happened and what not. Supremacy of Law must be insured.
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Sep 15, 2017 03:51pm
Wrong decision
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Sep 15, 2017 04:05pm
very sad.
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Sep 15, 2017 04:07pm
Justice Must Prevail
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Sep 15, 2017 04:19pm
We need to stop this mockery of sentencing people. Islam does not need such laws to protect itself. Forgiveness makes people to realise the mistake not death.
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Sep 15, 2017 06:24pm
cost of human life is at it's low, need to dilute the capital punishment into life imprisonment or else to secure the human life.
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Sep 15, 2017 08:25pm
Very sad
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Sep 16, 2017 02:41am
Absolutely disgusting, sentence of death??
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Sep 16, 2017 04:17am
Many Muslims are too sensitive about religion. Too much sensitivity is sign of weakness and insecurity and doubts.
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Sep 16, 2017 05:17am
@MUHAMMAD FAHEEM KHAN There is no supremacy of the law if it is against justice and violates human freedom
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Sep 16, 2017 05:23am
This is tragically silly. We have indeed become a very intolerant society. I am sure the minorities in Pakistan are well aware of the blasphemy law and would not be so stupid as to indulge in blasphemy, kniwing the consequences. These charges appear to be framed with the objective of dispossessing the already hard up minorities with whatever little they have. Look at our behavior with the Hindus in Sindh.
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Sep 16, 2017 06:46am
I don't agree with insulting someone else's religious failth. But court should give a chance , to understand the crime, may be sent for 3 months social work, and 3 months course teaches good thing etc. If the person committed the same crime should increase punishment. But not sure death plenty is right or wrong, but public should voice against any death penalty. Sometimes people commit mistakes, but even God forgives. Forgiveness is humanity.
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Sep 16, 2017 07:40am
I am a neighbour ( a liberal Hindu ) and regular reader of Dawn last several years . My question is in this time and age, does these kind of laws RELEVANT in a civilised society? Agree, nobody has right to play with religious sentiments............but awarding DEATH ...is it not going too far ? plus can't somebody take advantage of this and 'frame' lets say a business rival or so????
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Sep 16, 2017 07:43am
@Sachin that is unfortunate
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Sep 16, 2017 09:05am
Sad to hear this. I am sure higher court would do justice.
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Sep 16, 2017 09:16am
@Farhan I fully endorse your view.
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Sep 16, 2017 09:18am
@Farhan "We need to stop this mockery of sentencing people. Islam does not need such laws to protect itself. Forgiveness makes people to realise the mistake not death"
For every one who feel like this, there are thousands who feel otherwise with a need to punish and forbid. We can only hope for sanity in the face of the Saudi-inspired pseudo-religiosity and idiotic, nomadic norms. But then even the above statement can be construed as blasphemous, thanks to illiterate bullies who have subverted pure Islam. May He bless them with knowledge and sanity.
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Sep 16, 2017 09:41am
Supreme judiciary should take notice of such cases.
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Sep 16, 2017 10:06am
@Farhan agree 100%
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Sep 16, 2017 10:55am
So much so for Freedom of expression!
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Sep 16, 2017 12:04pm
If investigations prove with certainty that the accused did commit the crime he should get the due sentence & if investigations prove with certainty that he was framed (as he has claimed), then the ones who framed him should get the same sentence
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Sep 16, 2017 12:15pm
We are making a joke of ourselves. Period.
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Sep 16, 2017 01:42pm
I strongly condemn the death of innocent Christian,I truly love my religion but I respect all other religions and their views.I hope that saying that(and my previous comment)won't accuse me for blasphemy because anything can happen in this country.
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Sep 16, 2017 02:04pm
It so sorrow that a civilised society is fighting on the of religion
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Sep 16, 2017 03:12pm
This Law should be abolished, Islam allows discussions and arguments & logic.
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Sep 16, 2017 04:13pm
Dont blame the court. A judge MUST uphold the law. For God's sake repeal this unjust law. Shame on those who support it.
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Sep 16, 2017 04:57pm
This is a conspiracy against Pakistan. Pakistan is the most advanced and developed country in the world, a nuclear power, and a responsible great nation. India is jealous of our increasing stronghold in all spheres of international matters. Modi and Doval are behind framing us for this. Minorities in Pakistan are the luckiest of them all. We are doing our best to put a justified end to their miserable non-Muslim lives but still the silly world keeps complaining. But we don't care... we are the most powerful nation in the world and the second most powerful nation, China, is our ally.
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Sep 16, 2017 05:11pm
Prophet PBUH have forgiven himself who insulted him bith physicall and emotionally and who are we to give these severe punishments, Now even judges and the whole system is afraid of reaction from the religious groups ....
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Sep 16, 2017 05:41pm
How does the Blasphemy law protect the citizens? Has anyone planned and carried out Blasphemy by design? Does the person exhibit pride in his/her act of violation of Blasphemy law? Does an unintended violation to a law deserve death sentence, without giving a chance to the alleged person to reform? I think it is time to make changes in Blasphemy law and create a new law on radicalism and militancy to protect the citizens against planned and proudly carried out terror attacks.
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Sep 16, 2017 06:32pm
The fairness of such trials is always questionable because Pakistani justice system is flawed. Whatever happens to those clerics who threatened to kill the accused? Threatening a person a crime under Pakistani law. Round up those clerics and send them to jail.
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Sep 16, 2017 06:33pm
@MUHAMMAD FAHEEM KHAN, Do you feel those clerics who threatened him should also be put in jail. No one should be above the law and allowed to take the law in their own hands.
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Sep 16, 2017 07:12pm
@Dr. Liar, Awwal Number are you serious? I think it was sarcastic
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Sep 16, 2017 08:41pm
@Dr Javaid : "Sad to hear this. I am sure higher court would do justice."
That would be a relief, but then again, if that were to happen, why are lower courts so out of tune with higher courts?
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Sep 16, 2017 08:42pm
@Muhibullah Why not have NO punishment and just forget the whole trivial matter?
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Sep 16, 2017 09:59pm
A single human life is More precious then the religious views of all humans ever born on the earth. Period
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Sep 16, 2017 10:04pm
I wonder if the courts of that country are like this, is Pakistan really a civilised nation. Indus valley represents the oldest civilisation and there you are.... I condemn!
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Sep 16, 2017 10:07pm
When rest of the world have already gone beyond such issues, section of Muslim nations, it seems is still under the grip of medieval mentality. Such law should immediately be repealed to integrate with rest of the world.
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Sep 16, 2017 10:09pm
Please someone do a carbon dating of this Pakistan law to check its age. Come on guys which century you are living on?
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Sep 16, 2017 11:43pm
What kind of bloodthirsty religion have we turned Islam to?
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Sep 17, 2017 12:03am
This bull has to stop. The blasphemy law should be changed to make the maximum sentence life imprisonment and not death.
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Sep 17, 2017 02:13am
This law is so absurd and injustice to the victims.
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Sep 17, 2017 06:40am
Sad, I agree that people should respect each others beliefs but a dead sentence seem to harsh, poor guy and family, I would not like to leave in a place where I'm afraid that someone can turn against me and cost my life
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Sep 17, 2017 07:01am
@Dr. Liar, Awwal Number You forgot to add that you are economic engine of the world. Pakistan has given 45 billion US dollar loan to China, so that it can tide over its crisis by building a road. That Pakistan has the best hospitals and manufacturing units in the world and the Universities are being flocked by foreign students in pursuit of knowledge and know how not available to any one. And not the least, Pakistan invented zero, just discovered in that sanskrit manuscript, from ancient hindus.
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Sep 17, 2017 07:50am
Islamic countries should & do have some kind of control on blasphemous material. With country in the grip of extremism & hatred, abuse of the act is rampant.
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Sep 17, 2017 08:06am
Let GOD decide his fate, just let him live because forgiveness is true essence of the religion.
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Sep 17, 2017 09:28am
Barbaric!
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Sep 17, 2017 09:52am
nothing new, most probably till 2100 no christian or hindus will be left in pak
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Sep 17, 2017 10:15am
Anyone who has access to your phone for just a few seconds can get you a death sentence by sending an inappropriate from it.
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Sep 17, 2017 10:37am
@Farhan I commend existence of such sane voices like yours in Pakistan. I wonder how law makers take dictation from hardliners while enacting laws
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Sep 17, 2017 11:45am
@sasindran ayadakandiyil do not worry brother, its pakistan's destiny . And thank gid in indua you do not have such laws
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Sep 17, 2017 11:59am
blasphemy , blasphemy , blasphemy...cant we just live like normal humans rather than adhering to some arabic cult...
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Sep 17, 2017 12:10pm
This is very sad for the country. Where is the religious tolerance and equality. Islam promotes Ahsaan not punishments. If it was the case then at Fateh Makkah Prophet PBUH should have hanged all the kufars, but no he pardoned them all and they converted to become Muslims and those who didnt never caused any problems. Tolerance is needed in Pakistan.
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Sep 17, 2017 01:20pm
Now this is called fanatics with religion. Unreal no religion would allow killing .
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Sep 17, 2017 01:21pm
For sending a poem one should not be killed. I do not know why some persons are intolerant in India and Pakistan. Killing for killing sake cannot bring peace and prosperity for the Leaders and citizens. God/Bhagawan/ Allahah created human being for the survival not to kill others. Killing in the name of religion will antagonize God and citizens will suffer.
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Sep 17, 2017 01:26pm
It happens only in pakistan
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Sep 17, 2017 03:10pm
I fail to understand why people would play with other people's deep realigious feelings. Live and let live. Stop misusing freedom and technology to hurt people and faiths.
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Sep 17, 2017 04:00pm
This nonsense should be stopped. In a population of 200 million, there will always be one or two who will say things that are unwarranted, but fine them. To take a life over an opinion, however unpalatable, is not Islamic and unforgivable.
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Sep 17, 2017 04:03pm
A very special court should be set up, with eminent , learned, well read, knowledgable and wise people, including judges and scholars, not maulanas please. This dedicated court should convene when a rare case arises, like this. Don't leave it to 'the judge of the day' to make such decisions.
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Sep 17, 2017 04:48pm
You cant force a religion or its thoughts on every one. If any religion tries to do it, its end is imminent!
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Sep 17, 2017 05:01pm
While rest of the world is heading into 22nd century, we are making sure we head into the 18th and 17th century.
Even having a court hearing for such a frivolous case is blasphemy.
When we have such laws we do not need India, Afghanistan, Iran and USA to destroy us.
We are doing it ourselves. We are not a tolerant society anymore.
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Sep 17, 2017 05:21pm
Sentencing someone to death is bigger blasphemous act than the original act!
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Sep 17, 2017 05:25pm
@Khwarizmi.... I agree but 99% of the time, these accusations are false and the result of a personal grudge.
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Sep 17, 2017 07:28pm
Well done. Keep it up and hang on tough.
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Sep 17, 2017 11:49pm
@Mango man Man --- you are so generous.
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Sep 18, 2017 02:05am
Very sad to read. The blasphemy law should be repealed as Muslims are misusing it every day in Pakistan. Most of these cases are thrown out in courts but at a huge cost. Imagine the stress and often time threats to life of innocent judges, lawyers and the victims. Pakistan has become a jungle where any fanatic or angry Muslim can take his revenge under cover of this draconian law. Good Muslims should raise their voice in streets, neighborhoods, villages, cities and offices wherever you live and work, to protect minorities and prevent bad name to Islam.
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Sep 18, 2017 04:25am
a full unbiased investigation must be held to find out what happened really...its very easy to send Whatsapp and sms messages to one self using those Android or ios apps now available. something done by Aysha Gullai against Imran Khan !
so please don't haste in handing out the death sentences. investigate and then decide !
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Sep 18, 2017 05:21am
In Pak it is so easy to trouble someone you don't like,. Just get hold of his phone somehow and send a abusive message of the prophet to a someone. The owner of the phone will be held guilty and hanged to death. Pakistan has smart phones but the law is still 1000 years old. It is better to be born in Somalia than in Pak.
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Sep 18, 2017 05:38am
Had Saint Kabir been alive, He too would have been sentenced in such society . Even Mirza Ghalib won't be spared for rendering some poems
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Sep 18, 2017 05:47am
@Rnmn, Couldn't have said it better myself.
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Sep 18, 2017 06:25am
The blasphemy law is not only cruel and unjust, but also at least anti-Quranic as nowhere the scripture mentions the offence of blasphemy or its punishment. This maligns Islam as well as brings bad name to Pakistan apart from its being liable to be easily misused by the complainant. The fact that Pakistan is not able to set aside this law proves that the Pakistanis yet cannot become a liberal, modern and progressive nation.
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Sep 18, 2017 06:37am
Man made disaster.
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Sep 18, 2017 07:03am
@s. Chatterjee Avoid balancing act.While killing in India doesn't enjoy legal support,in Pakistan courts award death sentence on the basis of blasphemy law, proudly enacted by learned law makers.Do they have similar laws of .similar blephesmy laws to protect honour of deities and existence of their places of worship?
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Sep 18, 2017 08:41am
Good that India is a secular country. Yes there are issues at times but there is nothing that is Hindu centric.
Muslims in India feel blessed that we are tolerant to let them practice their religion.
It's funny that a country like Pakistan blames India for atrocities on Muslims in Kashmir
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Sep 18, 2017 09:06am
Killing a human being for an imaginary god, really only a demented judicial system is capable of this!
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Sep 18, 2017 09:08am
Some Pakistanis (in other thread) are arguing about invention of zero is Pakistani phenomenon ... yeah you guys are striving to reach to 'Zero' .. this court order taken another significant leap in this direction ...
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Sep 18, 2017 09:27am
any decision against the local clerics who threatened the accused and his family?
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Sep 18, 2017 09:53am
uff...so the message is clear...follow the religion blindly other wise you will be beaten to death. My question is that does Kuran says that if a person say anything against or question some religious practice, kill that person.
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Sep 18, 2017 09:53am
This a simply a state terrorism to kill a person in the name of religion. Then we say the terrorism has no religion.
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Sep 18, 2017 10:46am
This is not a LAW it is a curse on the Nation: Pakistan was never formed with such Law: this Law was never part of constitution of the Pakistan. It was a unwanted gift from dictatorship of 70’s. it’s no hidden truth that this law is mostly used against personal jealousy and to resolve grudges against poor and crushed down people specially in Rurales areas. Pakistan Supreme Court must dismiss this law and should conduct flawless investigation to all the previous such falls cases and bring the truth out to public to educate and to protect minorities & prevent their lives, properties and equal social rights of defending and prevailing in the land of Pakistan.
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Sep 18, 2017 12:53pm
Wrong verdict.... we are humans .. when terrorists all killing just like that and escaping without punishment... religion based mistakes should be given a chance to forgive....
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Sep 18, 2017 01:44pm
Unjust and appalling that peoples are getting sentenced for "Text" by honorable courts while terrorists are roaming freely and participating in election, shame on Judiciary.
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Sep 18, 2017 02:09pm
No brains.
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Sep 18, 2017 02:47pm
Islam is the religion of peace and mercy. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) life is full of such instances in which he always forgave the person. May God keep us on right path.
Ameen.
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Sep 18, 2017 02:59pm
I am from India, though the Christians and Muslims in India are considered to be a minority. Minorities are protected from the abuse of law by the majority. We are always given equal opportunity and very rarely discriminated. I urge the authorities in Pakistan to kindly move forward in making necessary amendments to the law to protect the innocents; this law should not be used to settle scores.
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Sep 19, 2017 10:17am
Well we Muslims have forgotten the concept of Forgiveness, giving people a second chance. Why not change the law to lets say the first time he commits 6 months , 2nd time 3 years and third time if they think is right Death Sentence
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