Washington, D.C. – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a Pakistani Christian was imprisoned on June 19 and faces the death penalty after a Muslim man accused him of blasphemy in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Sajid Hameed Bajwa accused Rehmat Masih of blaspheming the prophet Muhammad. According to article 295 C of Pakistan’s penal code, blaspheming Muhammad [...]]]> Washington, D.C. – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a Pakistani Christian was imprisoned on June 19 and faces the death penalty after a Muslim man accused him of blasphemy in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Sajid Hameed Bajwa accused Rehmat Masih of blaspheming the prophet Muhammad. According to article 295 C of Pakistan’s penal code, blaspheming Muhammad is punishable by death.

Rehmat’s son, Boota Masih, told ICC that the family is fearful of attacks by Muslim mobs. Female members of the family and their children have already left their homes and moved to other areas because of safety concerns.

He also said that the real reason for the accusation stems from a land dispute between his father and Muslims. This has been awaiting trial for sometime.

Rehmat is held at the District Jail Faisalabad. He has not been tortured or mistreated by police.

Boota told ICC, “We want to make peace. We don’t want to leave our home. We have been living here for long time. We own property in this place. We want peace and justice and my father should be set free from jail.”

Several Pakistani Christians have been falsely accused of blasphemy by Muslims. The charges have resulted in mob violence against the accused and other Christians. In August 2009, 11 Christians were killed by Muslim mobs in Gojra, Pakistan after accusation of blasphemy.

ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, Jonathan Racho, said “Once again, Muslims are using the blasphemy law in order to settle a personal vendetta. We are extremely concerned for the safety of Rehmat and his family as well as other Christians in the area. We urge Pakistan to protect the Christians from any attacks by Muslims and to immediately release Rehmat.”

Please contact the Pakistani embassy in your countries and politely ask the Pakistani officials to release Rehmat and protect his family and property from any attacks. When you call the embassies, give them the following information: the name of the victim (Rehmat Masih), the name of the police station where he is detained (District Jail Faisalabad) and the names of the police officers in charge of the police station (Qaisar Mushtaq and Sardar Dogar).

Pakistani Embassies:

USA: (202) 243-3254 (phone), (202) 686-1534 (Fax)
Canada: (613) 238-7881 (phone), (613) 238-7298 (Fax)
UK: 0870-005-6967 (phone)

Washington, D.C. – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that police arrested Imran John, a 22-year-old shopkeeper, for blasphemy on July 1 in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Imran was arrested after he was accused by Haji Liaqat, a neighboring Muslim shopkeeper, of burning pages of the Qur’an. Imran had been cleaning his [...]]]>

A typical shop in Faisalabad, Pakistan

Washington, D.C. – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that police arrested Imran John, a 22-year-old shopkeeper, for blasphemy on July 1 in Faisalabad, Pakistan.

Imran was arrested after he was accused by Haji Liaqat, a neighboring Muslim shopkeeper, of burning pages of the Qur’an. Imran had been cleaning his small grocery shop and took the trash out to the street to burn – a common method of disposing of garbage in Pakistan. Haji saw him doing this, and went and told some other Muslims that Imran had desecrated the Qur’an.

Immediately a crowd of Muslims gathered, grabbed Imran, and started beating him. Some bystanders, both Christian and Muslim, ran up to help and called the police. The police soon arrived and took Imran into custody.

Hundreds of Muslims gathered later that day after imams announced over mosque loudspeakers that a Christian had blasphemed Islam. The mob blocked roads, burned tires, and demanded that Imran be put to death.

Karamat Gill, a Christian social worker from Imran’s neighborhood, told ICC, “We have lived in the area peacefully with Muslims for decades and nothing like this has ever happened here. There must be a conspiracy behind this.”

Christian leaders are urging calm and asking Muslims to let the police investigate the matter. The Christians maintain, though, that the police arrested Imran after the mobs gathered, conducted no investigation, and are holding him with no proof.