20 suspected in 2014 Kot Radha Kishan lynching of Christian couple acquitted by ATC
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An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Saturday acquitted 20 people suspected of involvement in the lynching and burning alive of a Christian couple who were accused of blasphemy in Kot Radha Kishan in 2014.
Shahzad and Shama were burned alive in a brick kiln by a frenzied lynch mob ─ incited by announcements made from mosques in the area ─ ranging between 400-1,000 people for their alleged role in the desecration of the Holy Quran in Nov 2014. Both husband and wife were brick kiln workers, and the woman, a mother of three, was pregnant at the time. Police had registered a case against 660 villagers after the incident.
Read more: Tracing footsteps in Kot Radha Kishan
The court today acquitted 20 suspects, giving them the benefit of doubt. Among the 20, 15 people were identified as Faryad, Babar Ali, Islamuddin, Zulfiqar Ali, Arshad Ali, Jawed, Abid, Sabir, Muhammad Sharif, Sarfraz, Sultan, Aftab, Muhammad Ashraf, Abid Hasan, Asif and Owais.
The ATC in Nov 2016 sentenced five men to death on two counts for their involvement in the burning alive of Shahzad and Shama. Eight others were also charged with involvement in the lynching and sentenced to two years each in prison. In 2015, the ATC had indicted 106 suspected in the lynching.
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence. Anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam, risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes.
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Comments (68) Closed
Mar 24, 2018 06:53pm
Is ATC blind?
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Mar 24, 2018 06:57pm
Benefit of doubt?
If everyone in the mob was innocent then who killed them in that grossly medieval way?
Where is justice?
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Mar 24, 2018 06:58pm
Pakistan need to remove the blasphamony rule. Otherwise pakistan is destined to be doomed.
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Mar 24, 2018 06:58pm
This is the time for Supreme Court to intervene !
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Mar 24, 2018 06:59pm
Wow, this is the justice in Pakistan....
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Mar 24, 2018 07:05pm
This is not right, this is just not right, why is this judicial system so broken, two people were burned alive and the mob goes free. Unacceptable.
Laws have to be fixed to avoid these acquittals. But who is going to fix the law, all lawmakers are busy in making money for next election cycle.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:11pm
How many more got away with the Murder!!! Looks like the Police have covered their tracks shameful!!!!
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Mar 24, 2018 07:12pm
Nice to see court system working swiftly. Five people where the crime was proven were given swift and harsh sentences and others where the crime could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt were acquitted.
I’m written this for those would just read the headline and jump on the band wagon!
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Mar 24, 2018 07:17pm
very poor justice system..
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Mar 24, 2018 07:18pm
Not surprised. Pakistan lives in the past, way way past the civilization. RIP the murdered souls.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:20pm
This is pathetic. Two innocent ppl were burnt alive and no one is held responsible. Police and prosecutors should be held accountable for gross misconduct for not presenting enough evidence. If there was any witnesses intimidation, police should be still held responsible and case must be retried. So sad!
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Mar 24, 2018 07:35pm
Wow, what kind of evidence was presented to the court? Either the prosecution was bribed, incompetent and intimidated or the judge was biased. This country is fast becoming as un islamic as can be...... sadly.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:36pm
shame on Pakistan.it gives bad impression to already bad image of the country.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:39pm
Almighty give peace to their families so hurtful to read this. No faith is higher than humanity.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:39pm
Shame. Try these lynchers in Military court. Its a blatant example of injustice. Strongly condemn it.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:45pm
This is shocking, ls there another law for those who kill minorities. CJP should take notice
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Mar 24, 2018 07:47pm
Those who witness this barbaric act and did nothing are the same as those five men who are sentenced to death by the court.
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Mar 24, 2018 07:50pm
Shame on Pakistan
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Mar 24, 2018 08:14pm
I would not comment on court's decision, but blasphemy laws in Pakistan have to be amended and people need educating about them.
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Mar 24, 2018 08:14pm
A sad day for Pakistan. A heinous crime committed publicly could not lead to conviction and deserved punishment. Does the justice system realize its repercussions?
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Mar 24, 2018 08:19pm
@Anonymous : Do you think anything will change in Pakistan? The country, in some respects, is out of control.
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Mar 24, 2018 08:20pm
CJP requested to take notice
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Mar 24, 2018 08:20pm
ATC only find 5 out of 106 indicted in a mob of over 600 ?
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Mar 24, 2018 08:37pm
People need to be realistic. It is always difficult to prosecute mob or riot based violence and crime due to allot of legal technicality... which allot of people including lawyers and judges fail to fully understand and implement.
Secondly the issue here is not the justice system... the issue here is our culture and belief system! Most Pakistanis are raised with the values that family, traditions and believes is above any kind of law and authority. You dont have to look far just look at how an average Pakistani drives a car or bike on street. How an average Pakistani behaves when they are in congestion situation be it shop, school, office, bank etc...
Fixing these issue is not a 1 or 2 days thing, it will take generations to fix these behaviors. So good luck with that!
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Mar 24, 2018 08:38pm
This also speaks a lot about two provincial Police Departments. Nearly 30 people were arrested by KPK Police. On the contrary Punjab Police does not operate without direct instructions from Rana Sana and Shabaz Sharif.
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Mar 24, 2018 08:45pm
Pakistan Zindabad!
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Mar 24, 2018 08:53pm
You have ser them free,they will kill again.
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Mar 24, 2018 08:53pm
Blasphemy Law is a dangerous weapon can be used against anyone at any place for their personal vendetta or settle their personal disputes. Innocent people are dying everyday and Its not helping Islam. Need to be removed.
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Mar 24, 2018 09:06pm
This is what happens when ppl don't read the news and start to comment after reading the headline. The ATac has already handed down death sentences to some of the culprits, these were the ones whose involvement cannot be ascertained. Please people read the news before commenting!
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Mar 24, 2018 09:06pm
Good Job ATC.
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Mar 24, 2018 09:12pm
Oh. This is beyond grief. How does such shameful acts still have place in civil societies. Pakistan needs to do something, to prevent this from happening again. I wish the culprits will be punished. If not here, then up there.
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Mar 24, 2018 09:16pm
Is this one more justice denied? Justice already delayed.
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Mar 24, 2018 09:45pm
Shame on ATC
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Mar 24, 2018 09:48pm
Entire mob should be punished. Pakistan must take action against extremists otherwise I am afraid that there will be very dark side them.
All minorities should be protected against the extremists.
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Mar 24, 2018 09:52pm
The law enforcement should act before such crimes happen. On top of all this educating the masses across the country should be given the highest priority so that such events do not happen. Education should be focused on respect of each other and that includes the non-Muslim community in the country to avoid acts that can result in clash of religions and subsequent violence.
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Mar 24, 2018 10:14pm
Didnt you all read? Five mens have already been given death sentence. What more do you expect to proof that we are politically correct
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Mar 24, 2018 10:16pm
This will not provide justice to the couple Nobody is being held responsible for this gruesome murder
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Mar 24, 2018 10:25pm
Have the highest respect for dawn for publishing such reports
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Mar 24, 2018 11:14pm
Will the sentence ever be carried out or will those 5 charged eventually acquitted?
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Mar 24, 2018 11:23pm
Yesterday beef eater killers got life time in India including that of bjp person.
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Mar 24, 2018 11:24pm
Just think, she had 3 very young kids (now orphans) and had a fourth one on the way, and then she was burnt alive with her husband. Feel the pain?
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Mar 25, 2018 12:20am
The other day 11 men in India were sentenced to life imprisonment for a similar crime.
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Mar 25, 2018 12:24am
How many more acquittals of murderers will it take to eliminate Blasphem Laws?
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Mar 25, 2018 12:30am
Guys, read the news. 5 criminals were sentenced to death. Others were not involved directly in killing this hapless couple and thus were released by ATC. Do you also like to give death penalty to folks not associated with the murder?
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Mar 25, 2018 01:32am
Imagine other countries applying the same rule to us and or brothers in faith abroad. Killing is a sin, killing a pregnant woman, I am lost with words. RIP
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Mar 25, 2018 01:58am
Excellent decision! ATC has done good work.
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Mar 25, 2018 02:00am
Nobody is paying attention to strenghtening prosecution department.....all this government did was change uniform....
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Mar 25, 2018 02:19am
ATC is unforgiving and harshly just. So if these 20 are acquited, there must be a reason. However, those convicted must pay the ultimate price and soonest. Let it be well advertised so that no other such incidence takes place.The families of those lynched, specially the children must be compensated financially and generously from the pockets of all those accused directly or indirectly.
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Mar 25, 2018 02:51am
Demand justice for the minorities. All humans must be treated equally.
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Mar 25, 2018 04:19am
Pathetic state of affairs.
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Mar 25, 2018 04:51am
@N2 thank you
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Mar 25, 2018 04:57am
Sad day for Pakistan.
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Mar 25, 2018 05:53am
Before everybody jumps to conclusion, ATC has convicted the culprits...
The ATC in Nov 2016 sentenced five men to death on two counts for their involvement in the burning alive of Shahzad and Shama. Eight others were also charged with involvement in the lynching and sentenced to two years each in prison.
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Mar 25, 2018 06:31am
Outrageous!
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Mar 25, 2018 06:42am
Weren't five people sentenced to death by the ATC in 2016?
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Mar 25, 2018 09:45am
seriously insane....
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Mar 25, 2018 11:23am
@Raj patel Is that a comparison?? Really??
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Mar 25, 2018 12:26pm
@N2 Have you read the article yourself??
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Mar 25, 2018 03:13pm
@TI did you not read ? 5 people were given death sentences. You just read the headline.
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Mar 25, 2018 03:54pm
a crime was committed, a mob was present, but nobody was the criminal, so nobody is punished ... the couple lynched themselves ....
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Mar 25, 2018 05:03pm
What do you expect? No one has ever been punished for taking law in their hands in name of blasphemy.
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Mar 25, 2018 08:01pm
Read the full version then comment. five people have been punished
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Mar 26, 2018 12:21am
How many people who are making comments actually even remembered this incident before this news came out? How many people knew that there was an ongoing trial?
Knee jerk reaction unfortunately is common.
If we really cared that much , we should have a lot more involvement in this case.
Having said that, the Justice is still not served and it should not end here!
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Mar 26, 2018 04:22pm
Where is the justice in this case?
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Mar 27, 2018 02:13am
not surprised.
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Mar 27, 2018 07:38am
do blasphemy law equally applies to Muslims also who insults other religions?
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Mar 27, 2018 10:21am
When will Pakistan come out of 18th century??
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Mar 27, 2018 01:47pm
How cruel act!!! She was pregnant!!! Are they no human!!!
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