MULTAN: A man accused of blasphemy was injured after the brother of the complainant allegedly opened fire on him while he was going to attend the hearing of the case lodged against him.

As per police, the man, a resident of Chah Loharanwala in Mauza Jhok Lashkarpur, was going to attend the hearing of a blasphemy case lodged against him with the Makhdoom Rasheed police.

The first information report (FIR) had been lodged under Section 295-B on Oct 24, 2019 in which the complainant alleged that he was informed by one Allah Bakhsh that the man had desecrated the holy Quran. The suspect, who was arrested by the Makhdoom Rasheed police, was later released on bail.

On Tuesday, when he left home to attend the hearing in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Hassan Ahmad, the complainant’s brother allegedly opened fire on him, inflicting five bullet injuries on his leg. His sister told police that Qaisar Hayat, the brother of complainant Khizar Hayat, along with other unidentified persons had opened fire on her brother.

The injured was shifted to Nishtar Hospital where doctors said his condition was out of danger, while the FIR of the incident was yet to be lodged.

The additional district and sessions judge adjourned hearing of the case till Aug 12 after he was informed that by the defendant’s counsel that his client had been injured and admitted to hospital.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021