SAHIWAL: A 26-year-old married woman was booked in a blasphemy case at Chak 116/12-L, Chichawatni tehsil.

Kasowal Police Station SHO Zeeshan Dogar told Dawn that a man alleged that his neighbour woman, who was married and had two children, had desecrated the Holy Quran.

According to reports, the woman, a native of Vehari district, was married six years ago to a farm worker of Chak 116/12-L.

The couple has two children, a two-and-a-half-year-old son and a two-month-old daughter.

Locals claim she had been struggling with psychological issues since her marriage and was receiving psychiatric treatment.

Police reports said a female neighbour allegedly saw the suspect sitting in her courtyard, placing the Holy Quran on her head and pouring water on herself. She tore pages from the Holy Book, spread them on the ground and continued putting water on herself and the pages. She allegedly threw the pages into a tub.

The neighbour woman told her son who informed other neighbouring men and called the police. The activists, belonging to a group, gathered outside the suspect’s house.

Police engaged with the crowd and relocated the woman to a safer place.

Later, the protesters blocked the National Highway but authorities managed to disperse them through negotiations.

The police booked the suspect under Section 295-B of the PPC on the complaint of the son of the suspect’s neighbour.

DPO Rana Tahir said Kasowal police, supported by Elite Force and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Saleem Marth, successfully negotiated with the religious activists and dispersed them. The incident happened at 8pm and the situation was brought under control by 11pm.

SHO Zeeshan said the woman was presented before the court on Thursday morning and the magistrate sent her to Central Prison Sahiwal under judicial custody.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2025