JAMMU: In a violent event, reminiscent of the 2023 Jaranwala incident targeting members of the minority Christian community, an incensed Islamist mob set fire to a Christian man’s house and adjoining shop after he was accused of blasphemy. This forced more than 35 Christian families to flee their homes in the area amid fears of further violence.
Kamran Masih, son of Muneer Masih, a 40-year-old father of three, was transferred to a safe house, after his arrest, at about 9.30 PM on Thursday (October 8). Masih ran a small pharmacy in Gharial Kalan village, Narang Mandi, Sheikhupura district of Punjab Province. Local Muslims accused him of sharing a blasphemous video in WhatsApp groups. As word of his arrest spread, his family and other Christians began fleeing the area fearing for their safety.
Police register case under 295-C
According to the Sheikhupura District Police spokesperson, Kamran allegedly shared a blasphemous post on social media that went viral in the area, prompting a mob to gather outside his residence. The spokesperson said police acted swiftly, registered a case against him under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), arrested him and shifted him to a safe location to prevent any untoward incident, according to voicepak.net.
The mob later attacked and ransacked Kamran’s house and set fire to a nearby clinic where he used to practise as a doctor. The police spokesperson said police had also registered a separate FIR against five individuals allegedly involved in ransacking the house and the clinic, and arrested them.
He added that the situation was now under control and community leaders had assured police that no further law and order situation would be allowed to develop.
Falbous Christopher, the Punjab Assembly’s minority member, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Human Rights and Minority Affairs, took immediate notice of the incident.
Upon his directions, the police led by head of District police Bilal Zafar Sheikh, who along with a police contingent reached the spot to contain the situation.
Falbous Christopher contacted local community leaders on an urgent basis and appealed to them to remain calm and told the police to take strict action against extremist elements.
What is this 295 C Law regarding blasphemy
Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) criminalizes acts of derogatory remarks, insults, or blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This section was introduced to protect religious sentiments and maintain societal harmony in Pakistan.
Legal Text: The law states that whoever deliberately defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) shall be punished with death or life imprisonment.
Objective: The main goal of 295 C is to prevent religious offenses and protect the sanctity of Islam.
Key Features of 295 C
1. Targeted Offense – It applies exclusively to blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
2. Severe Penalty – The punishment can include death or life imprisonment, making it one of the strictest sections in PPC.
3. Legal Process – Cases are handled in special courts, and there are strict evidentiary requirements to ensure fair trials.
Kamran Masih booked on SI’s complaint
In a complaint filed by Raees Ahmed, Sub Inspector, he said he along with other police officers were patrolling in the area when they received news from a specific source that a person named Kamran Gill had shared a blasphemous video. The video was of 8 minute and 17 seconds and was sjhare on his Facebook account/ID. The video was originally uploaded by an unknown user called John Shaqi, via his Facebook ID a day earlier.
“I downloaded the video from my mobile phone using an application, transferred it onto a USB in the presence of witnesses, prepared a sealed parcel, and took it into police possession. Screenshots were also taken into police possession via phone,” said the complainant.
The offenses were filed under Sections 160, 290 PPC, 295, 298, 298A, 504, Telegraph Act, and PECA Act sections 11, 20, 26.
Case failed against Islamist mob
On October 9, an FIR was filed at the Narang police station, where the police officers said that were present at Ghandi Chowk stop for patrolling, crime checking, and other official duties. During patrolling, they received information from people that an accused person named Kamran Gul Masih, son of Munir Masih, resident of Gharyal Kalan village, had shared a blasphemous video on his social media Facebook ID.
He claimed that this blasphemous video was regarding the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his parents. The FIR says that because of this, members of the public broke the lock of his shop/dispensary located in Gharyal Kalan, entered inside, caused vandalism, and set the dispensary on fire.
The police rushed to the spot on their mobile van. Upon arrival, they observed that a mob of 30 to 35 people was present at the scene and it had set the shop and house on fire. Attempts were made to control the fire, and the names and addresses of the fleeing suspects were given in the FIR as follows:
1. Qari Inam-ul-Haq, son of Ehsan-ul-Haq, resident of District Mansehra, presently residing in Gharyal Kalan, holding a stick, along with Moulvi Hasnain ASI holding a stick.
2. Shahzad, son of Zahoor, caste Jathol, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a petrol bottle in which some petrol was visible still.
3. Muzammil, son of Munawar, caste Malik, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stick.
4. Hammad, son of Naseer, caste Malik, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stick.
5. Hussain, son of Boota, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a matchbox.
6. Boota, son of Inayat, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stone.
7. Irshad son of unknown, caste Basra, resident of Gharyal Kalan, who was raising slogans and inciting people at the spot.
8. Tahir, son of Nazeer, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stick.
9. Zahid, son of Iqbal, caste Basra, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stone.
10. Abu Bakr, son of Bilal, caste Jathol, resident of Gharyal Kalan, holding a stone.
11. Zohaib Hajjar, son of unknown, resident of Dehya, holding a stick.
12. Basharat, son of unknown, resident of Dehya, holding a stone.
13. Khalid, son of Akhtar, resident of Bhool Chak, holding a stick, who runs an oil agency from which Shahzad reportedly obtained the petrol.
“Additionally, there are 20 to 25 unknown suspects who can be identified when brought before us along with my companions. Attempts were made to apprehend the suspects, but they managed to flee while raising slogans. The suspects were armed with wooden sticks, stones, petrol bottles, and matchboxes to ignite fire. Through this act, the suspects created an atmosphere of panic, fear, and a threat to public peace in the area,” said the FIR.
The FIR goes on to say that the fire (at that time) was being extinguished by Rescue 1122. By vandalizing and burning the shop/dispensary of Kamran Gul Masih, committing incitement, agitating the general public, and spreading terror in the area, the suspects have prima facie committed offenses under Sections 436, 427, 147, 149, 153A PPC and 6/7 Anti-Terrorism Act.
The complaint against the suspects was dispatched through Constable Zubair Abbas to the police station, which registered a case upon the arrival of the written complaint.
Eyewitness account of vandalism
A couple of eyewitnesses described that all hell that broke lose on Friday morning. Asif* (name changed on request), said that Kamran had been arrested on Thursday but it was on Friday morning that the news actually spread throughout the village.
“One person told the other and the news spread,” he said. “A mob gathered very quickly and they began to demolish and set fire to Kamran’s house.” Asif’s own house is in Lahore, but he has helped to rescue and give space to his family, who are related to Kamran and live in the same neighbourhood.
The crowd announced they would ‘return after Friday prayers’ to other Christian families in the area if they were still there and would punish them. It was only when they left for Friday prayers that many of the Christian families managed to flee the area after a threat of their houses being set on fire as well.
Asif said that many of the men of these Christian families work in the adjoining fields while the women and children were at home. Upon fear of safety spreading in the village, the men were immediately contacted so they could flee the area.
Some of the people, however, did not want to leave on account of their animals still being there. These families were still in hiding in the area, with the help of some of the Muslim families they trusted.
The community has also been reluctant to use their phones. “Prior to this, some years ago, a local tussle turned into a huge issue when some unknown elements started firing on Christian homes and destroyed the houses too,” he says. “I was an eyewitness to this. Even at that time Christian had to flee the area.”
