KOHAT, April 27: The residents of Kotki area in Hangu district shot and injured a person for alleged desecration of the holy Quran at a shrine on Wednesday.

Police arrested the young man under section 195-B and put him in the lockup of Hangu city police station. However, case against him was registered in Saddar police station because the incident occurred in its limits.

Sources said that police received anonymous threatening calls, threatening them of dire consequences in case they didn't arrest the alleged blasphemer. Similar telephone calls were also received by local journalists, who were warned to file story about the incident or face consequences. Sources said that the calls were made by militants.

Sources said that 27-year-old Saiful Malook picked up few damaged pages of the holy Quran from a mosque and burned them at a shrine in Kotki area where he was spotted by some people. Locals beat him and opened firing on him, injuring his leg, they added.

He was brought to Hangu city police station and locked after registration of case for interrogation.

According to preliminary investigations the accused was a sensible man and just wanted to burn the damaged pages under the Islamic law to save them from desecration. However, officials of local police, when contacted, were tightlipped about the incident.— Correspondent

Opinion

Editorial

Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.
Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...