FINALLY, the arrest of Khalid Jadoon, who has been accused of committing the filthy act of triggering violence and hatred against an innocent religious minority has brought a sudden twist to the situation.

While it is shocking to learn that the culprit, who happened to be a so-called imam, deliberately tampered with the evidence to make things worse for the poor girl, at the same time the news brings relief as it will lead to the acquittal of the girl from a false charge.

The man has no idea how many innocent people had to suffer because of his act. Hundreds of poor people had to evacuate the area all of a sudden out of fear of their lives, leaving behind their jobs and their children’s schooling when the alleged blasphemy issue came out of the blue. What else could they opt when a hundreds-strong angry crowd was chanting slogans against them and giving threats. It goes without saying that the haunting memories of the Gojra incident must have flashed through their minds. Of course, no words can describe the trauma the poor girl Rimsha has gone through at such an early age.

I really wish she could rehabilitate and come to a normal mental state after passing through the ordeal of facing the wrath of mobs, being arrested and sent to jail for an offence she has no idea.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him ) has said that one who used indecent words for the family of someone else, in fact said it for his own family because he directly provoked the other to say the same.

By the same token if someone wrongfully blamed the other of blasphemy and took punitive actions against them, then according to my opinion the perpetrator is directly responsible for all the profanity against Islam anywhere in the world that comes directly as a result of his action.

Islam applies a punishment of Qazaf for the one who blames somebody of Zina and is not able to prove it, because it is a matter of respect and the dignity of the accused, but what about a situation when it is a matter of many lives when someone from a religious minority is wrongfully blamed of blasphemy and there is a strong risk of violent riots breaking out putting many innocent lives in danger?

I advocate severe punishment for the ‘real blasphemer’ in order to curb such heinous trend. I salute the integrity of the witness, Hafiz Zubair, who has finally mustered up the courage to bring the truth to everyone’s notice. I hope he does not have to pay for what he did.

K. AHSAN AWAIS Montreal, Canada