Share this story!            

Christian booked for ‘blasphemous’ SMS

By Abbas Naqvi

KARACHI: The Saddar Police have sealed a first information report (FIR) that had been registered against a Christian, Qamar David, in a ‘blasphemy’ case on Wednesday night.

David was arrested on Wednesday night after a travel agent, Khursheed Ahmed, complained that he had sent ‘blasphemous’ text messages to several people through his mobile phone. A case was registered against him under Section 295A and C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

However by Friday, the Saddar Investigations Police claimed no knowledge of the FIR when Daily Times questioned a town investigation officer and superintendent investigation officer about its contents. On Friday, Saddar Operations Police confirmed that the FIR had been registered and sealed.

The Saddar Operations and Investigations Police both denied on Friday that David was in their custody. Police sources said that David had been remanded into police custody till June 10 for interrogations.

Senior High Court Advocate Akbar Khan told Daily Times on Friday that if the FIR has been registered only under Section 295 A of the PPC, it is non-bailable and non-compoundable. The accused can face imprisonment of up to 10 years and a magistrate can try the case. If the FIR is registered under Section 295 C of the PPC, then the accused can be given the death sentence or 25 years imprisonment.

Clifton Town Police Officer Imran Minhas told Daily Times on Thursday that the travel agent, Khursheed Ahmed, had received some of these text messages which he had saved in his cell phone. He had submitted a complaint with the police, at which the police registered a case against David and arrested him. According to the TPO, David sent the ‘blasphemous’ messages in revenge for the attacks on churches in parts of the country.

AFP adds: “We have arrested the accused after it was confirmed that the messages were sent from his mobile phone and he also admitted his offence,” an official said, requesting anonymity.

The accused told investigators that he had been offended over attacks on churches in various cities this year, the official said, but declined to disclose the content of the messages because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Blasphemy in Pakistan carries a maximum sentence of death. Although no onehas ever been executed, the laws have been criticised by human rights groups.

“It’s an arbitrary law, which has been badly misused by extremists and should be abolished,” prominent rights activist Asma Jehangir told AFP.

Home | National

Share this story!