Pakistan’s blasphemy laws mean Christians are at constant risk of being falsely accused of blaspheming Islam, the Koran or Mohammed, and they receive harsh punishments when convicted. Lawyers who defend blasphemy cases frequently receive death threats and require security. Judges who are brave enough to acquit defendants, also find their lives in danger. For those who are fortunate enough to be acquitted, their lives are in danger once free.
On 7 August, a 32-year-old Christian woman, Saima, was arrested and charged by police following accusations of desecrating the Koran by her Muslim neighbour, Muhammad Haider.
According to the police report, Haider claimed that on 6 August, he saw Saima disposing of a bag of wastepaper in a plot next to his home. Upon inspecting the bag, he discovered pages of the Koran. Haider, accompanied by local shopkeeper Hamaad Ali, confronted Saima at her house. He alleges that she responded rudely and used inappropriate language.
The incident has sparked severe tension and unrest in the village of Khator, near Gojra. The allegations surfaced when Haider and his family alerted the local community about the torn Koran pages, quickly mobilising them against the Christian family. As news of the alleged desecration spread, a large crowd gathered, escalating the situation.
Fearing for her safety, Saima attempted to flee and hide in nearby crop fields but was pursued and tortured by the enraged mob. Upon receiving reports of the incident, the police arrived at the scene, rescued Saima and her family, and took them into custody to protect their lives.
In response to the mob’s demands for legal action, the police charged Saima under Section 295-B for allegedly desecrating the pages of the Koran. The charged mob, insisting on the registration of a criminal case, blocked roads, further heightening the tension in the area.
The situation in Khator remains tense as the community awaits a peaceful and just resolution to the incident.
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