A judge in Pakistan on Friday acquitted two Christian brothers of false blasphemy charges that had led to Muslims attacking Christian homes and businesses in Jaranwala last 12 months, sources said.
Faisalabad Anti-Terrorism Judge Muhammad Hussain ordered the acquittal of Umar Saleem, alias Rocky, and Umair Saleem, alias Raja, after a police investigation showed they’d been framed by three other Christians who bore personal enmity toward them, said Tahir Bashir, the brothers’ attorney.
The three Christians who made the false accusations of desecrating the Quran and writing blasphemous words have been arrested and charged with blasphemy, he said.
“The brothers are free and are with their family now,” Bashir told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “However, it isn’t protected for them to return to Jaranwala as a consequence of a serious threat to their lives. Though they’ve been acquitted from the court, there have been multiple instances where people accused of blasphemy have been killed by vigilantes despite being found innocent by the courts.”
Hundreds of Christians had fled Jaranwala when rioters attacked on Aug. 16, setting church buildings ablaze and raiding homes. The mob was estimated to have numbered around 5,000 at its peak, spurred by mosque loudspeakers announcing the Quran had been desecrated and derogatory words written against Muhammad, Islam’s prophet.
A police investigation exonerated each Christians, after which the court set them free, Bashir said.
“I filed an application under Section 265-K of the Criminal Procedure Code [CrPC] contending that no incriminating material was available against the 2 brothers, and nothing had been recovered from their possession, so proceeding against them can be a futile exercise,” Bashir said.
Section 265-K empowers courts to acquit a suspect at any time, even prior to the filing of charges. Bashir said that after hearing his arguments, the court acquitted each brothers, and so they were released following his order.
The brothers had been charged under sections of Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy law with “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings” (Sections 295-A), defiling the Quran (295-B) and derogatory remarks about Muhammad (295-C), which carries a compulsory death penalty. They were also charged under Section 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, which pertains to the “prohibition of acts intended or more likely to fire up sectarian hatred.”
To date, no death sentence has been carried out under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
Dozens of Christian homes and about 20 church buildings were damaged and ransacked by Muslim mobs in Jaranwala after the accusations surfaced. Faisalabad police detained greater than 300 suspects.
Justices on the Supreme Court, also hearing a case related to the Jaranwala attacks, said at a recent hearing that they regretted that state officials turn into intimidated by troublemakers who incite people to attack properties of non secular minorities.
The court also rejected a report by the Punjab government, with justices noting that the style wherein police carried out the investigation and apparent hesitation in identifying culprits would only bring disrepute to the force.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, vehemently upheld by Islamist parties, mandate the death penalty for defaming Muhammad and make insulting the Quran or Islam punishable with life imprisonment.
Unproven allegations of offending Islam can result in murders and lynchings. Christians, who make up lower than 2 percent of Pakistan’s population, are among the many lowest social strata and steadily fall victim to baseless blasphemy claims. Other religious minorities, in addition to politicians, lawyers, and students, have been killed over similar accusations or for defending those accused of blasphemy.
Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of essentially the most difficult places to be a Christian, because it was the previous 12 months.
