Shahzad Masih Case : Minorities persecution by Blasphemy laws in Pakistan

In July 2017 Police in Punjab’s Gujrat have arrested a Christian boy over charges of committing blasphemy – an allegation made by a member of religio-political party Tehreek-e-Tuhafaz Islam Pakistan (TTIP). The TTIP’s official website states that it was formed in 2007 for Namoos-e-Rasalat.

Shahzad Masih, had been taken into custody and an investigation was under way. Masih works as a sweeper at the Shamim Riaz Polyclinic Hospital in Dinga city.

According to the FIR registered against Masih, the complainant, Nadeem Ahmad, was at his shop, Saddar Electric Works, on the evening of July 13 when a man named Ishtiaq Jalali came to him and told him that Masih had uttered blasphemous words during a conversation with him. The FIR further states that the two men called Masih from his home and took him to Popular Mobile Shop where he said the same words again, which were heard this time by Ahmad, Jalali, Abdul Rehman and other people present there. The complainant further said Masih’s offensive words were not only meant to hurt the sentiments of the locals but also to disrupt peace in the area.

Jalali, who works at the same hospital pharmacy, is a member of Tehreek-e-Tahfuz-e-Islam Pakistan, an organisation that strives to protect the name and honour of Muhammad. It belongs to the Barelvi school of Islamic thought, which is considered “moderate” and has even faced criticism from other Muslims for its “polytheism” of worshipping at shrines. Barelvis are known for the special respect they afford to Muhammad – more so than any other Islamic school of thought – and are chief supporters of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. One of Jalali’s relatives, Muhammad Saqib Shakeel Jalali, a leader of Tehreek-e-Tahfuz-e-Islam Pakistan, told a local TV station a day after Masih’s arrest: “If the blasphemer is acquitted of the charge then each member of our organisation would attack him.”

Incidents of violence incited by blasphemy accusations have also been common across Punjab. Former governor Salmaan Taseer was shot dead by his own guard in January 2011 for raising his voice in favour of blasphemy accused Asia Masih.

Rashid Rehman, an advocate and human rights activist, was shot dead in Multan in 2014 by unidentified men for appearing as a counsel for university professor Junaid Hafeez, who was accused of committing blasphemy by students and teachers.

Similarly, dozens of houses were burned to the ground when a mob attacked Joseph Colony in Lahore after a resident was accused of blasphemy, while a Christian couple was also tortured and burned inside a brick kiln in Kot Radha Kishan over similar allegations in 2014.