Share this story!            

Blasphemy convict shot to death in jail

By Amir Nafees and Noshad Ali

LAHORE: Blasphemy convict Yousaf Ali, also known as Yousaf Kazab, convicted for a famous blasphemy case in August 2000, was shot dead by a fellow prisoner in Kot Lakhpat Central Jail as he was being shifted to another cell on Tuesday afternoon.

The killer, Tariq alias Mota, who belongs to a banned religious organisation, was being kept in the same cell after being given the death sentence in another murder case.

Reportedly, Yousaf was being kept in the death cell of Block Seven, while Tariq was in Block One. On Tuesday afternoon, the prisoners of block seven were being shifted to Block One. Yousaf was being shifted to the cell that housed Tariq, when Tariq whipped out a .30-calibre pistol and shot Yousaf six times – four of the bullets hit Yousaf in the chest; he died instantly.
A jail official, on condition of anonymity, told Daily Times that just after the incident took place, jail Superintendent Mian Farooq Nazir arrived at the scene of the crime and on seeing him, Tariq loudly proclaimed, “It was your duty, but I have done it.”

On the orders of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons Sarfaraz Mufti, the police have arrested staff members of the Kot Lakhpat jail, including two jail wardens, Amir Khan and Riaz, and Jail Assistant Superintendent Bashir Chaudhry on the charges of negligence.

Superintendent of the Kot Lakhpat Jail, Mian Farooq Nazir, has voluntarily relinquished charge as jail superintendent, because the crime took place while he was on duty. But he offered his services in the inquiry. Deputy Superintendent Camp Jail Murtaza Shamim has taken on the additional charge of Kot Lakhpat Jail superintendent.

When Mr Nazir was asked about the incident, he said, “I can not comment now because I have left the charge.” Meanwhile, DIG Mufti also refused to comment, telling the press to “go to the hospital or morgue”, adding that where this incident is concerned “an official inquiry has been ordered to probe the matter and an investigation is under the way”.
Editor of two national dailies, Rehmat Shah Afridi, who was an eyewitness to the incident, sent a special message to reporters present outside the jail, in which he said, “During my stay in the same block, I used to have detailed meetings with Yousaf and found him to be a humble practicing Muslim.”

Another insider told Daily Times that Bashir Chaudhry has ordered unscheduled the shifting of the prisoners and that was why he had been arrested.Jail sources said that during the investigation, Tariq revealed that he had the pistol in his custody for four months. Another person, who had been released on bail, had given the pistol to Tariq, as Tariq was enemies with Riaz Gujjar (a notorious criminal).
When Yousaf’s corpse was removed from the jail in a police ambulance, no member of the press of media was allowed to see it or take any photographs. Besides local journalists, representatives of the foreign media and a team of human rights’ activists were also present outside the jail’s main gate.

Tariq was awarded the death sentence in May 1999 in a murder case and was also under trial for other two murder cases.Yousaf was convicted of blasphemy on August 5, 2000. The Lahore sessions judge awarded him a death sentence with a fine of Rs 50,000. He was also found guilty under the Pakistan Penal Code, sections 295-A, 298-A, 505(2), 420 and 406, and was awarded additional imprisonment of 10 years with a fine of Rs 50,000, three years with a fine of Rs 20,000, seven years on three counts with a fine of Rs 30,000, Rs 20,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively against different charges.

The case against Yousaf was registered at the Millat Park police station on March 29, 1997 on the complaint of Tehrik-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat office-bearer Ismail Shujabadi. Charges in the case were framed on February 1, 1998. Journalists were barred from attending the proceedings of the case.
Advocate Ismail Qureshi, representing the complainant, had said that Yousaf Ali, as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora, went to Saudi Arabia and on his return started propagating that he had been designated as the Saudi government’s special ambassador. The complainant’s counsel said that the accused used to collect donations from people saying that he could help them see images of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Human rights sources said that they have received letters from blasphemy prisoners in Faisalabad Jail, Kot Lakhpat Jail and District Camp Jail Lahore, in which they said other prisoners had revealed themselves to be Al Qaeda members and threatened the blasphemy prisoners.

The sources said 40 Muslims, 23 Christian and two have been jailed in different prisons of the Punjab Hindus under the blasphemy laws. Four Muslims and one Christian have already been awarded the death sentence, they added.

Home | National

Share this story!