2012-07-06 17:14:00

"Blasphemous" man burned alive: Bishops call for intervention


July 06, 2012: Ghulam Abbas, a man accused of blasphemy was burnt alive by an angry mob of radical Islamists outside the police station of Chani Ghoth, in the town of Bahawalpur in the province of Punjab. As confirmed by local sources of Fides, the man, probably a mentally ill Muslim, was arrested a few days ago following a complaint of alleged blasphemy, with the charge of having burned pages of the Koran. Some local religious leaders were inciting the crowd who yesterday poured into the streets and then broke into the offices of the police, injuring about 15 agents. The radicals forced the cell door, pulled out the prisoner, poured gasoline over him and burned alive. Some police vehicles were set ablaze in a riot that lasted about two hours.

The incident strongly shook civil society in Pakistan, bringing to light the knotty question of the abuse of the blasphemy law. Peter Jacob, executive Secretary of the Commission "Justice and Peace" of the Episcopal Conference of Pakistan, told Fides: "We are verifying the facts and circumstances of such a serious and unheard incident. It is a truly execrable fact. Violence has increased, even one that takes religion as an excuse. To eliminate a human life, the more so in a court, is always unacceptable. What worries us is impunity, lawlessness, freedom of those who can take the law into their own hands, killing with impunity. Institutions such as Parliament and the Judiciary, must do their part. We call for greater attention to the new Prime Minister, so that respect for human rights in Pakistan is always taken into consideration". The Commission reports to Fides that, in 2012, two Muslims and one Christian have been killed out of court on charges of blasphemy.
Other NGOs like "Masihi Foundation" and "Life for All", have strongly condemned the incident as a "barbaric and inhumane act." In a statement sent to Fides, they reiterate that there is an "abuse of the blasphemy law" and calls on the authorities to act "against lawlessness and brutality," because "nobody is above the law." NGOs call for the intervention of the President of the Supreme Court to "ensure the rule of law in the Country."







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