Here we have PAKISTANI Christians in our country being beaten by hammers by police while they are in jail on false blasphemy charges.
Can we soon expect the same treatment from the West for Muslim prisoners?
Pakistan blasphemy suspect dies, beaten by cop
29 May 2004 10:58:22 GMT
LAHORE, Pakistan, May 29 (Reuters) - A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy for scattering garbage near a mosque has died of wounds suffered after a policeman attacked him with a hammer, police said on Saturday.
Lahore police official Abdul Shakoor said constable Faryad Ali was arrested on murder charges, after the victim, Samuel Masih, died on Friday.
The constable attacked Masih this week at a hospital in the eastern city of Lahore after learning that he had been accused of strewing garbage near the walls of a mosque.
Masih, 27, was arrested last year on a blasphemy complaint and was recently taken to hospital from prison for treatment of tuberculosis.
The death stirred strong protest from minority leaders in the mainly Muslim nation. They called for the abolition of blasphemy laws introduced in the 1970s under the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq.
“This is a brutal act of terrorism committed by the police constable and a clear misuse of blasphemy law,” said Shahbaz Bhatti, president of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. “This is the time that government should abolish blasphemy law.”
President Pervez Musharraf, who is fighting religious extremism after joining the U.S.-led “war on terror”, this month called for a review of the strict Islamic rules including the controversial laws on blasphemy.
Hardline Islamic groups vowed to resist any move by Musharraf to amend the laws, which prescribe the death penalty for insults to the Prophet Mohammad, other prophets and holy books.
But rights groups say they are often used to settle personal scores.
Most convictions are thrown out on appeal to higher courts, but several Christians and Muslims accused of blasphemy have been killed by religious fanatics in prison or police custody.
] 2condly did u expect the late christian man to receive a garland for wat he did, i am not surprised @ all that he was murdered neither should u be, u know how things work in pakistan, india et cetera.