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Pakistan Blasphemy Accused Sentenced to Death
A cleric accused of blasphemy has been sentenced to death and given a 10-year prison term in Pakistan's Punjab province, the latest in a string of convictions under a controversial law.
Sufi Mohammad Ishaq of Talagang town had been facing a charge of blasphemy since 2009.
An additional sessions judge of Jhelum district sentenced Ishaq to death and 10 years' imprisonment yesterday.
He was also fined Rs 2 lakh.
Sufi Mohammad Ishaq was settled in the US, where he worked as a cleric.
When he visited Talagang in 2009, he was given a warm welcome by hundreds of his disciples, some of whom kissed his feet.
Some people objected to the act of "bowing down before Ishaq" and accused his followers of branding him a prophet.
Ishaq's rivals launched a campaign against him and a young man, who was allegedly acting at the behest of some Deobandis, lodged a complaint at Talagang police station in which he accused Ishaq of committing blasphemy.
Police booked Ishaq under the controversial blasphemy law and his case was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Sajid Awan of Chakwal district.
After completion the hearing, the judge set a date for announcing the judgment, but later wrote a letter to the Lahore High Court in which he said that he could not announce the verdict because of security risks.
Judge Awan asked the High Court to transfer the case to another district.
The High Court then referred the case to a judge in Jhelum district, who announced Ishaq's conviction on Friday.
Sources contended that the blasphemy charge was filed because some persons were upset after Ishaq was appointed 'gaddi nasheen' (custodian) of the shrine of Pir Fazal Shah.
Lawyer Chaudhry Mehmood Akhtar, the counsel for Ishaq, said his client could not "even think of committing blasphemy".
Rights groups have called for changes in the blasphemy law, saying it is often misused to settle personal or political scores.
news.outlookindia.com | Pakistan Blasphemy Accused Sentenced to Death
A cleric accused of blasphemy has been sentenced to death and given a 10-year prison term in Pakistan's Punjab province, the latest in a string of convictions under a controversial law.
Sufi Mohammad Ishaq of Talagang town had been facing a charge of blasphemy since 2009.
An additional sessions judge of Jhelum district sentenced Ishaq to death and 10 years' imprisonment yesterday.
He was also fined Rs 2 lakh.
Sufi Mohammad Ishaq was settled in the US, where he worked as a cleric.
When he visited Talagang in 2009, he was given a warm welcome by hundreds of his disciples, some of whom kissed his feet.
Some people objected to the act of "bowing down before Ishaq" and accused his followers of branding him a prophet.
Ishaq's rivals launched a campaign against him and a young man, who was allegedly acting at the behest of some Deobandis, lodged a complaint at Talagang police station in which he accused Ishaq of committing blasphemy.
Police booked Ishaq under the controversial blasphemy law and his case was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Sajid Awan of Chakwal district.
After completion the hearing, the judge set a date for announcing the judgment, but later wrote a letter to the Lahore High Court in which he said that he could not announce the verdict because of security risks.
Judge Awan asked the High Court to transfer the case to another district.
The High Court then referred the case to a judge in Jhelum district, who announced Ishaq's conviction on Friday.
Sources contended that the blasphemy charge was filed because some persons were upset after Ishaq was appointed 'gaddi nasheen' (custodian) of the shrine of Pir Fazal Shah.
Lawyer Chaudhry Mehmood Akhtar, the counsel for Ishaq, said his client could not "even think of committing blasphemy".
Rights groups have called for changes in the blasphemy law, saying it is often misused to settle personal or political scores.
news.outlookindia.com | Pakistan Blasphemy Accused Sentenced to Death
