A mob in Pakistan's Punjab province tortured and killed a man accused of desecrating the Holy Quran. WION's Anas Mallick brings you more insights.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan condemns mob lynching of a man accused of blasphemy

<p>A Hindu man has been sentenced to life in prison&nbsp;for committing 'blasphemy', as per reports in Pakistani media. News outlet SAMAA Digital reported that in addition to life imprisonment, the man has also been fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees for committing the alleged blasphemy. A sessions court in Pakistan's Ghotki delivered the verdict.</p>

<p>As per the report, the verdict was delivered on Tuesday (February 8) after a two-year-long trial. During this period, Nautan Lal, the convicted man, was held in jail as an undertrial. He has been sent back to the same jail.</p>

<p>Case was registered against Nautan Lal after a teenager claimed that he had committed blasphemy. The video made by the teenager had gone viral in September 2019.</p>

<p>Following this, head of a madrassa had filed a complaint against Nautan Lal alleging him of blasphemy. SAMAA Digital says that violence broke out as news of the case against Nautan Lal spread.</p>

<p>Masked men reported attacked Sacho Satram Dham Temple in Ghotki destroying property and even idols after the case was registered against Nautan Lal.</p>

<p>Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan and is punishable by law. However, critics have been pointing at the ambiguous nature of things that they say leads to questionable convictions many times.</p>


A Hindu man has been sentenced to life in prison for committing 'blasphemy', as per reports in Pakistani media. News outlet SAMAA Digital reported that in addition to life imprisonment, the man has also been fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees for committing the alleged blasphemy.

A Hindu man has been sentenced to life in prison for committing 'blasphemy', as per reports in Pakistani media. News outlet SAMAA Digital reported that in addition to life imprisonment, the man has also been fined 50,000 Pakistani rupees for committing the alleged blasphemy. A sessions court in Pakistan's Ghotki delivered the verdict. As per the report, the verdict was delivered on Tuesday (February 8) after a two-year-long trial. During this period, Nautan Lal, the convicted man, was held in jail as an undertrial. He has been sent back to the same jail. Case was registered against Nautan Lal after a teenager claimed that he had committed blasphemy. The video made by the teenager had gone viral in September 2019. Following this, head of a madrassa had filed a complaint against Nautan Lal alleging him of blasphemy. SAMAA Digital says that violence broke out as news of the case against Nautan Lal spread. Masked men reported attacked Sacho Satram Dham Temple in Ghotki destroying property and even idols after the case was registered against Nautan Lal. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan and is punishable by law. However, critics have been pointing at the ambiguous nature of things that they say leads to questionable convictions many times.

Pakistan: Hindu teacher gets life imprisonment for alleged 'blasphemy'

<p>A 26-year-old Muslim woman in Pakistan was sentenced to death over a 'blasphemous' WhatsApp status which had&nbsp;caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. A court issued a summary that said that Aneeqa Ateeq (26) was arrested in May 2020. She was charged&nbsp;with posting 'blasphemous material' as&nbsp;her WhatsApp status.</p>

<p>Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, and laws prohibitting it can carry a potential death sentence -- although it has never been enforced for the crime.</p>

<p>The court said that when a friend asked the woman to change the status, she instead forwarded the material to him. The woman was also handed a 20-year jail sentence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Islam forbids caricatures of Prophet Mohammed.</p>

<p>Up to 80 people are known to be jailed in Pakistan on blasphemy charges -- half of whom face life in prison or the death penalty -- according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom.</p>

<p>While many cases involve Muslims accusing fellow Muslims, rights activists have warned that religious minorities -- particularly Christians -- are often caught in the crossfire, with blasphemy charges used to settle personal scores.</p>

<p>In December, a Sri Lankan factory manager working in Pakistan was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob after being accused of blasphemy.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A 26-year-old Muslim woman in Pakistan was sentenced to death over a 'blasphemous' WhatsApp status which had caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. A court issued a summary that said that Aneeqa Ateeq (26) was arrested in May 2020.

A 26-year-old Muslim woman in Pakistan was sentenced to death over a 'blasphemous' WhatsApp status which had caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. A court issued a summary that said that Aneeqa Ateeq (26) was arrested in May 2020. She was charged with posting 'blasphemous material' as her WhatsApp status. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, and laws prohibitting it can carry a potential death sentence -- although it has never been enforced for the crime. The court said that when a friend asked the woman to change the status, she instead forwarded the material to him. The woman was also handed a 20-year jail sentence. Islam forbids caricatures of Prophet Mohammed. Up to 80 people are known to be jailed in Pakistan on blasphemy charges -- half of whom face life in prison or the death penalty -- according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. While many cases involve Muslims accusing fellow Muslims, rights activists have warned that religious minorities -- particularly Christians -- are often caught in the crossfire, with blasphemy charges used to settle personal scores. In December, a Sri Lankan factory manager working in Pakistan was beaten to death and set ablaze by a mob after being accused of blasphemy. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: 26-year-old woman given death sentence over 'blasphemous' WhatsApp status

<p>The chief of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the radical Islamist party whose supporters are accused of lynching a Sri Lankan man over blasphemy charges, has predicted that his party would be a “kingmaker” in the 2023 general elections.</p>

<p>In an interview with Newsweek Pakistan, TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, who was recently released from jail after nearly seven months, said that their vote bank will likely get a massive boost in Punjab and Sindh regions, provided that the “polls are held in a free and fair manner”.</p>

<p>“No opposition will be able to function, and no party will be able to make government without the support of the TLP,” Rizvi said while claiming that his party's vote banks in Punjab and Sindh had experienced a massive boost since the last general elections.</p>

<p>“The TLP enjoys good support in both provinces and its vote bank has increased manifold compared to last elections,” he told the magazine on Thursday.</p>

<p>When asked whether any major political parties have reached out to him after his release and the possibility of an electoral alliance, Saad said the TLP’s doors were open to all parties.</p>

<p><strong>Also read </strong>|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/tlp-to-end-sit-in-protest-as-pakistan-lifts-ban-on-group-427738">TLP to end sit-in protest as Pakistan lifts ban on group</a></p>

<p>When asked for his views regarding last week’s mob lynching of Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot over allegations of blasphemy, Rizvi sought to distance TLP from the incident.</p>

<p>He claimed that such incidents were linked to the TLP by the media to harm it.</p>

<p>Police had arrested Rizvi on April 12 as a “pre-emptive measure", ahead of planned protests by the TLP for the implementation of its demands, including the expulsion the French ambassador, severing ties with France and boycotting French products over blasphemous sketches of the Prophet.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bowing-down-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-approves-tlps-de-proscription-427362">Bowing down? Pakistan PM Imran Khan approves TLP's de-proscription</a></p>

<p>The next day, police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the TLP chief under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997.</p>

<p>Later on November 18, Rizvi was released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in the aftermath of an agreement with the Imran Khan-led government.</p>

<p>The agreement was reached following days of protest by his party workers, who also clashed with police, and were marching towards the capital, Islamabad.</p>

<p>The details of the agreement have not been made public.</p>

<p>On November 7, the Imran Khan-led government had dropped TLP from the list of proscribed group.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The chief of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the radical Islamist party whose supporters are accused of lynching a Sri Lankan man over blasphemy charges, has predicted that his party would be a “kingmaker” in the 2023 general elections.

The chief of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the radical Islamist party whose supporters are accused of lynching a Sri Lankan man over blasphemy charges, has predicted that his party would be a “kingmaker” in the 2023 general elections. In an interview with Newsweek Pakistan, TLP chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, who was recently released from jail after nearly seven months, said that their vote bank will likely get a massive boost in Punjab and Sindh regions, provided that the “polls are held in a free and fair manner”. “No opposition will be able to function, and no party will be able to make government without the support of the TLP,” Rizvi said while claiming that his party's vote banks in Punjab and Sindh had experienced a massive boost since the last general elections. “The TLP enjoys good support in both provinces and its vote bank has increased manifold compared to last elections,” he told the magazine on Thursday. When asked whether any major political parties have reached out to him after his release and the possibility of an electoral alliance, Saad said the TLP’s doors were open to all parties. Also read | TLP to end sit-in protest as Pakistan lifts ban on group When asked for his views regarding last week’s mob lynching of Priyantha Kumara in Sialkot over allegations of blasphemy, Rizvi sought to distance TLP from the incident. He claimed that such incidents were linked to the TLP by the media to harm it. Police had arrested Rizvi on April 12 as a “pre-emptive measure", ahead of planned protests by the TLP for the implementation of its demands, including the expulsion the French ambassador, severing ties with France and boycotting French products over blasphemous sketches of the Prophet. Also read | Bowing down? Pakistan PM Imran Khan approves TLP's de-proscription The next day, police had registered a first information report (FIR) against the TLP chief under sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 1997. Later on November 18, Rizvi was released from Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in the aftermath of an agreement with the Imran Khan-led government. The agreement was reached following days of protest by his party workers, who also clashed with police, and were marching towards the capital, Islamabad. The details of the agreement have not been made public. On November 7, the Imran Khan-led government had dropped TLP from the list of proscribed group. (With inputs from agencies)

Chief of hardline Islamist party TLP aims to become ‘kingmaker’ in 2023 Pak general elections

<p>On December 3, hundreds of furious Muslims in eastern Pakistan hanged and publicly torched a Sri Lankan sports equipment manufacturing manager's body for suspected blasphemy.</p>

<p>Factory employees accused Priyantha Kumara of defacing posters bearing the name of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to a media report on Sunday quoting his post-mortem report, nearly all of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana's bones were crushed and his corpse was 99 percent burned in the terrible lynching event in Pakistan's Punjab region.</p>

<p>Angry followers of the extremist Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) assaulted a textile factory, lynching the plant's general manager Diyawadana, in his 40s, and setting his body on fire over blasphemy claims.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/murders-happen-after-a-mob-lynched-a-sri-lankan-man-pakistan-defence-minister-justified-it-434528"><strong>Also read | 'Murders happen': After a mob lynched a Sri Lankan man, Pakistan defence minister justified it</strong></a></p>

<p>According to Geo News, the cause of death in Diyawadana's post-mortem report was skull and jaw fractures.</p>

<p>All of his essential organs were impacted, including his liver, stomach, and one of his kidneys, while torture scars were apparent all over his body and his spinal cord was broken three times, according to the report.<br />
<br />
<strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/makeshift-memorial-honours-slain-lankan-factory-manager-in-pakistan-434244">Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan</a></strong></p>

<p>According to the post-mortem examination, 99 percent of the Sri Lankan national's body was charred, and all of his bones were fractured except for one foot.</p>

<p>Diyawadana's body was transferred to Lahore after the autopsy, according to a Punjab Police spokeswoman, where that was handed over to the Sri Lankan embassy.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


On December 3, hundreds of furious Muslims in eastern Pakistan hanged and publicly torched a Sri Lankan sports equipment manufacturing manager's body for suspected blasphemy.

On December 3, hundreds of furious Muslims in eastern Pakistan hanged and publicly torched a Sri Lankan sports equipment manufacturing manager's body for suspected blasphemy. Factory employees accused Priyantha Kumara of defacing posters bearing the name of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. According to a media report on Sunday quoting his post-mortem report, nearly all of Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana's bones were crushed and his corpse was 99 percent burned in the terrible lynching event in Pakistan's Punjab region. Angry followers of the extremist Islamist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) assaulted a textile factory, lynching the plant's general manager Diyawadana, in his 40s, and setting his body on fire over blasphemy claims. Also read | 'Murders happen': After a mob lynched a Sri Lankan man, Pakistan defence minister justified it According to Geo News, the cause of death in Diyawadana's post-mortem report was skull and jaw fractures. All of his essential organs were impacted, including his liver, stomach, and one of his kidneys, while torture scars were apparent all over his body and his spinal cord was broken three times, according to the report. Also read | Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan According to the post-mortem examination, 99 percent of the Sri Lankan national's body was charred, and all of his bones were fractured except for one foot. Diyawadana's body was transferred to Lahore after the autopsy, according to a Punjab Police spokeswoman, where that was handed over to the Sri Lankan embassy. (With inputs from agencies)

All bones broken, whole body burnt: Chilling details of brutalities faced by Lankan man emerge

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday ordered a probe into the horrific lynching of a Sri Lankan man by a Pakistani mob over alleged blasphemy accusations.</p>

<p>The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot earlier in the day, where hundreds of men, enraged over the “blasphemy” incident, gathered outside the factory from adjoining areas and tortured him to death before burning his body in the public.</p>

<p>It is being claimed that most of them were activists and supporters of the ultra-radical Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).</p>

<p>The deceased, Priyantha Kumara, who was in his 40s, was killed because he allegedly tore up a poster of the TLP in which Quranic verses were inscribed and threw it in the dustbin.</p>

<p>The horrific act drew widespread condemnation from Sri Lanka and international NGO, Amnesty International, who sought intervention from the top Pakistani leadership.</p>

<p>“The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot &amp; the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations &amp; let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress,” Khan tweeted.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot &amp; the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations &amp; let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress</p>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1466770570637422592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>In response, the Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad urged Pakistani authorise to ensure justice.</p>

<p><strong>Also read </strong>|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burns-body-for-tearing-up-posters-of-radical-islamist-party-433821">&nbsp;Pakistani mob tortures Sri Lankan man to death, burns body for tearing up posters of radical Islamist party</a></p>

<p>“Sri Lanka expects that the Pakistan authorities will take the required action to investigate and ensure justice,” Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, spokesperson of Sri Lankan foreign ministry affairs said in a statement.</p>

<p>Several videos were circulated on social media showing hundreds of men gathered at the site surrounding the body of the Sri Lankan national. They were chanting slogans of the TLP.</p>

<p>"The mob dragged the suspect (the Sri Lankan national) from the factory and severely tortured him. After he succumbed to his wounds, the mob burnt his body before police reached there,” a police official from Pakistan’s Punjab province was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday ordered a probe into the horrific lynching of a Sri Lankan man by a Pakistani mob over alleged blasphemy accusations.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday ordered a probe into the horrific lynching of a Sri Lankan man by a Pakistani mob over alleged blasphemy accusations. The incident took place on Wazirabad Road in Sialkot earlier in the day, where hundreds of men, enraged over the “blasphemy” incident, gathered outside the factory from adjoining areas and tortured him to death before burning his body in the public. It is being claimed that most of them were activists and supporters of the ultra-radical Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). The deceased, Priyantha Kumara, who was in his 40s, was killed because he allegedly tore up a poster of the TLP in which Quranic verses were inscribed and threw it in the dustbin. The horrific act drew widespread condemnation from Sri Lanka and international NGO, Amnesty International, who sought intervention from the top Pakistani leadership. “The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot & the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations & let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress,” Khan tweeted. The horrific vigilante attack on factory in Sialkot & the burning alive of Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations & let there be no mistake all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 3, 2021 × In response, the Sri Lanka High Commission in Islamabad urged Pakistani authorise to ensure justice. Also read | Pakistani mob tortures Sri Lankan man to death, burns body for tearing up posters of radical Islamist party “Sri Lanka expects that the Pakistan authorities will take the required action to investigate and ensure justice,” Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, spokesperson of Sri Lankan foreign ministry affairs said in a statement. Several videos were circulated on social media showing hundreds of men gathered at the site surrounding the body of the Sri Lankan national. They were chanting slogans of the TLP. "The mob dragged the suspect (the Sri Lankan national) from the factory and severely tortured him. After he succumbed to his wounds, the mob burnt his body before police reached there,” a police official from Pakistan’s Punjab province was quoted as saying. (With inputs from agencies)

Pak PM Imran Khan orders probe into Sri Lankan man burnt over alleged 'blasphemy'

<p>A leading opthalmologist in Pakistan has expressed sadness at lynching of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot. Dr Niaz Brohi, the opthalmologist, drew attention to the fact that 40 per cent of corneas used in Pakistan for eye transplant come from Sri Lanka and are donated by Sri Lankan citizens.</p>

<p>“We hang our heads in shame,” he has been quoted as saying by SAMAA digital.</p>

<p>He told the news platform that Pakistan was largest recipient of corneas from Sri Lanka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana was lynched to death by a mob of hundreds on December 3 in Pakistan's Sialkot. The frenzied mob attacked Priyantha on suspicions that he had committed blasphemy. Priyantha, a manager of a factory was attacked, tortured and his body was burnt. As per media reports on post-mortem, all bones in his body were broken and the body was 99 per cent burnt.</p>

<p>Diyawadana's body was transferred to Lahore after the autopsy, according to a Punjab Police spokeswoman, where that was handed over to the Sri Lankan embassy.</p>

<p>Dr Brohi, who is a member of Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society from Pakistan. Samaa digital said that the society had donated 35,000 eye corneas to Pakistan.</p>

<p>“Sri Lankan donated us eyes, but we have lost sight,” Dr Brohi told the news platform</p>


A leading opthalmologist in Pakistan has expressed sadness at lynching of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot. Dr Niaz Brohi, the opthalmologist, drew attention to the fact that 40 per cent of corneas used in Pakistan for eye transplant come from Sri Lanka and are donated by Sri Lankan citizens.

A leading opthalmologist in Pakistan has expressed sadness at lynching of Sri Lankan national in Sialkot. Dr Niaz Brohi, the opthalmologist, drew attention to the fact that 40 per cent of corneas used in Pakistan for eye transplant come from Sri Lanka and are donated by Sri Lankan citizens. “We hang our heads in shame,” he has been quoted as saying by SAMAA digital. He told the news platform that Pakistan was largest recipient of corneas from Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan national Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana was lynched to death by a mob of hundreds on December 3 in Pakistan's Sialkot. The frenzied mob attacked Priyantha on suspicions that he had committed blasphemy. Priyantha, a manager of a factory was attacked, tortured and his body was burnt. As per media reports on post-mortem, all bones in his body were broken and the body was 99 per cent burnt. Diyawadana's body was transferred to Lahore after the autopsy, according to a Punjab Police spokeswoman, where that was handed over to the Sri Lankan embassy. Dr Brohi, who is a member of Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society from Pakistan. Samaa digital said that the society had donated 35,000 eye corneas to Pakistan. “Sri Lankan donated us eyes, but we have lost sight,” Dr Brohi told the news platform

'Sri Lankans donated 35k eyes to Pakistanis, but we lost sight,' rues doctor after lynching

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">Pervez Khattak, Pakistan's defence minister, has offered an odd justification for the heinous mob lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot last week.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">When young people become passionate, "murders happen," Khattak said, adding that the tragedy should not be related to the Imran Khand government's decision to relax the ban on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">"There were people who were impacted by the Islamic faith, both youngsters and adults.They become upset and act in a passionate manner.This isn't to say that it was a reaction to something.Everyone has their own way of thinking.They shouted slogans claiming it was blasphemy.They were enraged and murdered him.This does not imply that the society's (social fabric) has been shattered," he said.<br />
<br />
<strong>Watch | Sialkot Lynching Case: Pakistan defence minister shields government from blame</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sialkot-lynching-case-pakistan-defence-minister-shields-government-from-blame-434554/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>During a news conference in Peshawar on Sunday, the defence minister made the remarks while answering to a reporter.</p>

<p>The reporter wanted to know if the Pakistani government, led by Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf, is planning a "effective crackdown" on TLP-affiliated organisations.<br />
<br />
<strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/makeshift-memorial-honours-slain-lankan-factory-manager-in-pakistan-434244">Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan</a></strong><br />
<br />
Authorities claimed nearly 800 individuals have been charged on terrorist accusations, with 13 major suspects among the 118 people detained so far, as pressure rose on the Imran Khan government to bring the guilty to justice.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="10">In Pakistan, where blasphemy is punishable by death, mob murders over blasphemy accusations are fairly prevalent.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="11"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Pervez Khattak, Pakistan's defence minister, has offered an odd justification for the heinous mob lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot last week. When young people become passionate, "murders happen," Khattak said, adding that the tragedy should not be related to the Imran Khand government's decision to relax the ban on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

Pervez Khattak, Pakistan's defence minister, has offered an odd justification for the heinous mob lynching of a Sri Lankan man in Sialkot last week. When young people become passionate, "murders happen," Khattak said, adding that the tragedy should not be related to the Imran Khand government's decision to relax the ban on the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). "There were people who were impacted by the Islamic faith, both youngsters and adults.They become upset and act in a passionate manner.This isn't to say that it was a reaction to something.Everyone has their own way of thinking.They shouted slogans claiming it was blasphemy.They were enraged and murdered him.This does not imply that the society's (social fabric) has been shattered," he said. Watch | Sialkot Lynching Case: Pakistan defence minister shields government from blame During a news conference in Peshawar on Sunday, the defence minister made the remarks while answering to a reporter. The reporter wanted to know if the Pakistani government, led by Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf, is planning a "effective crackdown" on TLP-affiliated organisations. Also read | Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan Authorities claimed nearly 800 individuals have been charged on terrorist accusations, with 13 major suspects among the 118 people detained so far, as pressure rose on the Imran Khan government to bring the guilty to justice. In Pakistan, where blasphemy is punishable by death, mob murders over blasphemy accusations are fairly prevalent. (With inputs from agencies)

'Murders happen': After a mob lynched a Sri Lankan man, Pakistan defence minister justified it

<p class="MsoNormal">The Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara&nbsp;who was beaten to death and set ablaze by local mob in Sialkot, Pakistan, was brutally tortured, the post-mortem report revealed.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">It is being believed that Kumara was brutally slapped, kicked, punched which led to his death, and his body was then set to fire. As a part of the investigation, the local police have registered an FIR against 900 employees of Rajco Industries on the application of Uggoki Station House Officer (SHO) Armaghan Maqt under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 and 11WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/makeshift-memorial-honours-slain-lankan-factory-manager-in-pakistan-434244">Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan</a></strong></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The SHO claims that although he wanted to help the manager being beaten up in front of him, he was helpless against such a huge number of protestors due to lack of personnel on his side.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Officials have been studying evidence, video footage and arresting scores of people, to which six more people have been added now. These suspects were found hiding in their relatives’ homes. The local police is still carrying on the investigation and process of identifying the main culprits who carried out this chilling murder.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On behalf of the nation I want to salute moral courage &amp; bravery of Malik Adnan who tried his utmost to shelter &amp; save Priyantha Diyawadana from the vigilante mob in Sialkot incl endangering his own life by physically trying to shield victim. We will award him Tamgha i Shujaat</p>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1467484145530011648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and IG Rao Sardar Ali Khan are personally monitoring the entire investigation process," a statement from the police department said.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal"><strong>Post-mortem report</strong><o:p></o:p></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal">Some media houses have also claimed that a post-mortem report has revealed that the manager suffered a broken skull, extreme degree of torture and burn wounds that damaged 99 per cent of his body tissues.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burnt-for-blasphemy-433978"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></o:p></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burnt-for-blasphemy-433978/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p class="MsoNormal">In addition to this, all bones, except of a leg, were found broken.<o:p></o:p></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal"><strong>Colleague to rescue</strong><o:p></o:p></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal">Another video, procured by local media house, Dawn.com, has revealed that reportedly a colleague of the manager tried to reason with the mob and save the Sri Lankan man. He tried to explain it to the mob that Kumara was a non-Muslim man who "didn't know what was written on the paper".<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">However, the mob drowned his requests in their blasphemy-related slogans and kept chanting that the manager will die today. <o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">The same colleague was also spotted in an earlier video. At that time, too, he was trying to protect the Sri Lankan man while pleading the mob to spare Kumara’s life.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="rtl" lang="ur">پنجاب پولیس نےCCTV فوٹیج اور موبائل کالز ڈیٹا سے گزشتہ 12گھنٹے میں مزید 6 مرکزی کرداروں کا تعین کرکے گرفتار کرلیا ہے۔ملزمان اپنے دوستوں اور رشتے داروں کے گھروں میں چھپے ہوئے تھےابتک کی تحقیقات کے مطابق124 زیرحراست افراد میں سے 19 ملزمان کا مرکزی کرادر سامنے آیا ہے<a href="https://twitter.com/UsmanAKBuzdar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UsmanAKBuzdar</a> <a href="https://t.co/lWuxBzmXVb">https://t.co/lWuxBzmXVb</a></p>
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDPRPP/status/1467366728413982720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>Wife seeks justice</strong><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Kumara’s wife, Niroshi Dasaniyake, has urged the Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s government to bring justice for her deceased husband.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"My husband was an innocent man. I found out from the news that after working abroad for so long he had been brutally murdered. I saw on the internet how inhuman the killing was. I appeal to the Sri Lankan president and the Pakistani prime minister and president to conduct a fair investigation so my husband and our two children get justice," she said while speaking to&nbsp;BBC Sinhala.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><em>(Inputs from agencies)</em></o:p></p>


The Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara who was beaten to death and set ablaze by local mob in Sialkot, Pakistan, was brutally tortured, the post-mortem report revealed.

The Sri Lankan factory manager Priyantha Kumara who was beaten to death and set ablaze by local mob in Sialkot, Pakistan, was brutally tortured, the post-mortem report revealed. It is being believed that Kumara was brutally slapped, kicked, punched which led to his death, and his body was then set to fire. As a part of the investigation, the local police have registered an FIR against 900 employees of Rajco Industries on the application of Uggoki Station House Officer (SHO) Armaghan Maqt under sections 302, 297, 201, 427, 431, 157, 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and 7 and 11WW of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Also read | Makeshift memorial honours slain Lankan factory manager in Pakistan The SHO claims that although he wanted to help the manager being beaten up in front of him, he was helpless against such a huge number of protestors due to lack of personnel on his side. Officials have been studying evidence, video footage and arresting scores of people, to which six more people have been added now. These suspects were found hiding in their relatives’ homes. The local police is still carrying on the investigation and process of identifying the main culprits who carried out this chilling murder. On behalf of the nation I want to salute moral courage & bravery of Malik Adnan who tried his utmost to shelter & save Priyantha Diyawadana from the vigilante mob in Sialkot incl endangering his own life by physically trying to shield victim. We will award him Tamgha i Shujaat — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 5, 2021 × Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and IG Rao Sardar Ali Khan are personally monitoring the entire investigation process," a statement from the police department said. Post-mortem report Some media houses have also claimed that a post-mortem report has revealed that the manager suffered a broken skull, extreme degree of torture and burn wounds that damaged 99 per cent of his body tissues. WATCH | In addition to this, all bones, except of a leg, were found broken. Colleague to rescue Another video, procured by local media house, Dawn.com, has revealed that reportedly a colleague of the manager tried to reason with the mob and save the Sri Lankan man. He tried to explain it to the mob that Kumara was a non-Muslim man who "didn't know what was written on the paper". However, the mob drowned his requests in their blasphemy-related slogans and kept chanting that the manager will die today. The same colleague was also spotted in an earlier video. At that time, too, he was trying to protect the Sri Lankan man while pleading the mob to spare Kumara’s life. پنجاب پولیس نےCCTV فوٹیج اور موبائل کالز ڈیٹا سے گزشتہ 12گھنٹے میں مزید 6 مرکزی کرداروں کا تعین کرکے گرفتار کرلیا ہے۔ملزمان اپنے دوستوں اور رشتے داروں کے گھروں میں چھپے ہوئے تھےابتک کی تحقیقات کے مطابق124 زیرحراست افراد میں سے 19 ملزمان کا مرکزی کرادر سامنے آیا ہے@UsmanAKBuzdar https://t.co/lWuxBzmXVb — Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) December 5, 2021 × Wife seeks justice Kumara’s wife, Niroshi Dasaniyake, has urged the Pakistan and Sri Lanka’s government to bring justice for her deceased husband. "My husband was an innocent man. I found out from the news that after working abroad for so long he had been brutally murdered. I saw on the internet how inhuman the killing was. I appeal to the Sri Lankan president and the Pakistani prime minister and president to conduct a fair investigation so my husband and our two children get justice," she said while speaking to BBC Sinhala. (Inputs from agencies)

Pakistan arrests 6 more people in Sialkot lynching; investigation to continue

A violent mob in Pakistan tortured a Sri Lankan man to death and then burnt his body in public allegedly over blasphemy accusations.

Pakistani mob tortures Sri Lankan man to death, burnt for 'blasphemy'

<p class="MsoNormal">After the Pakistan's Prime Minister ordered probe into Sri Lankan man’s death, nearly 800 people have been booked under the&nbsp;Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Farhan Idrees has been detained as the key suspect for killing the Sri Lankan man&nbsp;Priyantha Kumara.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">A few days ago, a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and was set ablaze by a local mob in Pakistan who accused him of blasphemy. Imran Khan ordered immediate probe in this matter as he labelled it a "day of shame for Pakistan".</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>"The horrific vigilante attack on a factory in Sialkot &amp; the burning alive of a Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations &amp; let there be no mistake, all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress," <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-pm-imran-khan-orders-probe-into-sri-lankan-man-burnt-over-blasphemy-charges-433921">Khan had tweeted</a></strong>.</o:p></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Spoke to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today in UAE to convey our nation's anger &amp; shame to people of Sri Lanka at vigilante killing of Priyantha Diyawadana in Sialkot. I informed him 100+ ppl arrested &amp; assured him they would be prosecuted with full severity of the law</p>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1467113256863027201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>As per the report submitted to the Prime Minister, the local police have detained nearly 120 people for the incident that took place in Sialkot, Pakistan. Officials have reported that the manager of the factory, who was a Sri Lankan, was killed as locals believed that he had committed blasphemy.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">They have been moved to unnamed locations to make sure the investigations can be carried out independently and safely.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burnt-for-blasphemy-433978"><strong>WATCH |</strong></a></o:p></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistani-mob-tortures-sri-lankan-man-to-death-burnt-for-blasphemy-433978/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p class="MsoNormal">"Rumour spread in the factory that the manager had torn down a religious poster and thrown it in the dustbin," Zulfiqar Ali, a police official in the area told news agency AFP.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">It is being believed that the workers of the factory had complained about the manager being too strict. So, some of the employees played the religious card to take their revenge, which ultimately led to the man’s death.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">"Police experts are investigating this case from various angles, including that some factory workers played a religious card to take revenge on the manager," Ashrafi said.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Local officials are still continuing raids to make sure all guilty in this matter are caught and punished.<o:p></o:p></p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Video clips on social media platforms showed the Sri Lankan man being beaten and set ablaze, while the mob chanted slogans against blasphemy. Some people also, reportedly, took selfies inn front of the burning corpse of the Sri Lankan man.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Sri Lankan parliament also condemned the incident as the education minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament,&nbsp;"We are glad that the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had very strongly condemned this brutal act."</o:p></p>


After the Pakistan's Prime Minister ordered probe into Sri Lankan man’s death, nearly 800 people have been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday. Farhan Idrees has been detained as the key suspect for killing the Sri Lankan man Priyantha Kumara.

After the Pakistan's Prime Minister ordered probe into Sri Lankan man’s death, nearly 800 people have been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday. Farhan Idrees has been detained as the key suspect for killing the Sri Lankan man Priyantha Kumara. A few days ago, a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death and was set ablaze by a local mob in Pakistan who accused him of blasphemy. Imran Khan ordered immediate probe in this matter as he labelled it a "day of shame for Pakistan". "The horrific vigilante attack on a factory in Sialkot & the burning alive of a Sri Lankan manager is a day of shame for Pakistan. I am overseeing the investigations & let there be no mistake, all those responsible will be punished with full severity of the law. Arrests are in progress," Khan had tweeted. Spoke to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today in UAE to convey our nation's anger & shame to people of Sri Lanka at vigilante killing of Priyantha Diyawadana in Sialkot. I informed him 100+ ppl arrested & assured him they would be prosecuted with full severity of the law — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 4, 2021 × As per the report submitted to the Prime Minister, the local police have detained nearly 120 people for the incident that took place in Sialkot, Pakistan. Officials have reported that the manager of the factory, who was a Sri Lankan, was killed as locals believed that he had committed blasphemy. They have been moved to unnamed locations to make sure the investigations can be carried out independently and safely. WATCH | "Rumour spread in the factory that the manager had torn down a religious poster and thrown it in the dustbin," Zulfiqar Ali, a police official in the area told news agency AFP. It is being believed that the workers of the factory had complained about the manager being too strict. So, some of the employees played the religious card to take their revenge, which ultimately led to the man’s death. "Police experts are investigating this case from various angles, including that some factory workers played a religious card to take revenge on the manager," Ashrafi said. Local officials are still continuing raids to make sure all guilty in this matter are caught and punished. Video clips on social media platforms showed the Sri Lankan man being beaten and set ablaze, while the mob chanted slogans against blasphemy. Some people also, reportedly, took selfies inn front of the burning corpse of the Sri Lankan man. Sri Lankan parliament also condemned the incident as the education minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament, "We are glad that the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had very strongly condemned this brutal act."

Nearly 800 people arrested for killing Sri Lankan man in Pakistan: Reports

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">After photographs emerged of a model posing for a clothing company without a head cover inside the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, a Pakistani clothing firm is receiving backlash from the Sikh community and others.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="5">Sikh leaders have condemned the behaviour as offensive and insensitive.&nbsp;</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">Manjinder Singh Sirsa, leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and head of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, has urged Pakistan's government and Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against it.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Such behaviour &amp; act at pious place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is totally unacceptable!<br />
Can she dare to do the same at her religious place in Pakistan?<a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ImranKhanPTI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovtofPakistan</a> shd tk immed action to stop this trend of treating Sri Kartarpur Sahib as picnic spot by Pak people <a href="https://t.co/AwyIkmqgbC">pic.twitter.com/AwyIkmqgbC</a></p>
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) <a href="https://twitter.com/mssirsa/status/1465201865046446083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Fawad Chaudhry, the Pakistani minister, has also demanded an apology from a clothing brand's designer and model for staging a photo session at the Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Designer and the model must apologise to Sikh Community <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KartarPurSahib?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KartarPurSahib</a> is a religious symbol and not a Film set….. <a href="https://t.co/JTkOyveXvn">https://t.co/JTkOyveXvn</a></p>
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) <a href="https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1465215323284586499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Meanwhile, the clothing firm has apologised on its Instagram account, stating that "Mannat Clothing did not participate in any of the photo shoots shown on our accounts." A third-party (blogger) sent us these photos, in which they were wearing our clothing.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2k3EIoqsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
<div style="padding:16px;">
<div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 19% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2k3EIoqsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd" stroke="none" stroke-width="1"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div>

<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2k3EIoqsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div>
</div>

<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;">&nbsp;</div>

<div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2k3EIoqsN/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by MANNAT (@mannat_clothing)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile Punjab Police in Pakistan has said that 'strict legal action'&nbsp;would be taken against those responsible. They&nbsp;said that the clothing brand and the model were being investigated.</p>

<p>"Punjab Police are investigating all aspects related to this incident and strict legal action will be taken against responsible. Management of concerned brand &amp; model are being investigated. Worship places of all religions are equally respectable," the police department tweeted.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Punjab Police are investigating all aspects related to this incident and strict legal action will be taken against responsible. Management of concerned brand &amp; model are being investigated. Worship places of all religions are equally respectable.<a href="https://twitter.com/MashwaniAzhar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MashwaniAzhar</a> <a href="https://t.co/HLqwRKmOKY">https://t.co/HLqwRKmOKY</a></p>
— Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialDPRPP/status/1465266008986374147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


After photographs emerged of a model posing for a clothing company without a head cover inside the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, a Pakistani clothing firm is receiving backlash from the Sikh community and others.

After photographs emerged of a model posing for a clothing company without a head cover inside the Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, a Pakistani clothing firm is receiving backlash from the Sikh community and others. Sikh leaders have condemned the behaviour as offensive and insensitive. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and head of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, has urged Pakistan's government and Prime Minister Imran Khan to take action against it. Such behaviour & act at pious place of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is totally unacceptable! Can she dare to do the same at her religious place in Pakistan?@ImranKhanPTI @GovtofPakistan shd tk immed action to stop this trend of treating Sri Kartarpur Sahib as picnic spot by Pak people pic.twitter.com/AwyIkmqgbC — Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) November 29, 2021 × Fawad Chaudhry, the Pakistani minister, has also demanded an apology from a clothing brand's designer and model for staging a photo session at the Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. The Designer and the model must apologise to Sikh Community #KartarPurSahib is a religious symbol and not a Film set….. https://t.co/JTkOyveXvn — Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) November 29, 2021 × Meanwhile, the clothing firm has apologised on its Instagram account, stating that "Mannat Clothing did not participate in any of the photo shoots shown on our accounts." A third-party (blogger) sent us these photos, in which they were wearing our clothing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MANNAT (@mannat_clothing) × Meanwhile Punjab Police in Pakistan has said that 'strict legal action' would be taken against those responsible. They said that the clothing brand and the model were being investigated. "Punjab Police are investigating all aspects related to this incident and strict legal action will be taken against responsible. Management of concerned brand & model are being investigated. Worship places of all religions are equally respectable," the police department tweeted. Punjab Police are investigating all aspects related to this incident and strict legal action will be taken against responsible. Management of concerned brand & model are being investigated. Worship places of all religions are equally respectable.@MashwaniAzhar https://t.co/HLqwRKmOKY — Punjab Police Official (@OfficialDPRPP) November 29, 2021 × (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Model shoots inside Kartarpur Gurdwara ‘bare-headed’, angers Sikh community

<p>On Sunday, a mob assaulted and set fire to a police station in the Charsadda region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the release of a man imprisoned for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To disperse an angry throng that vandalised a police station, authorities resorted to firing into the air and teargas shelling, injuring at least one individual.</p>

<p>Witnesses say the outraged protestors broke into the Mandani police station property, set fire to at least 17 parked cars and motorbikes, and destroyed official records.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mob outside Mandni police station in Tehsil Mangi, Charsadda, baying for blood of a man who has a MENTAL ILLNESS and allegedly tore off pages of Islamic holy scripture. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Charsadda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Charsadda</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blasphemy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blasphemy</a><br />
[Videos via <a href="https://twitter.com/AbdullahMomandJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbdullahMomandJ</a> ] <a href="https://t.co/zRod6iurNL">pic.twitter.com/zRod6iurNL</a></p>
— Rabia Mehmood - رابعہ (@Rabail26) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rabail26/status/1464990756997791749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A violent mob setting fire to Mandni Police station in reaction to an alleged blasphemy in Tehsil Tangi of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Charsadda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Charsadda</a>.<br />
<br />
A mentally unwell man allegedly tore off pages of Islamic holy scripture.<br />
<br />
The blasphemy law will burn down the sanity of this country.<a href="https://t.co/CUoKmzK6Zn">pic.twitter.com/CUoKmzK6Zn</a></p>
— Mona Farooq Ahmad (@MFChaudhryy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MFChaudhryy/status/1464997012420579337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The officers left the station and fled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Local leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl held a protest march at Mandani market later that day, demanding that the accused be punished.</p>

<p>Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in deeply conservative Pakistan, where mere allegations have led to extrajudicial killings and mob violence.</p>

<p>Human rights campaigners have long sought the repeal of blasphemy laws, arguing they are used to victimise religious minorities or settle personal scores.</p>

<p>From 1987 to December 2020, at least 1,855 persons have been alleged under the offences related to religion, mostly under Sections 295B, C to 298C, of the Pakistan Penal Code known as Blasphemy laws.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


On Sunday, a mob assaulted and set fire to a police station in the Charsadda region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the release of a man imprisoned for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

On Sunday, a mob assaulted and set fire to a police station in the Charsadda region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the release of a man imprisoned for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. To disperse an angry throng that vandalised a police station, authorities resorted to firing into the air and teargas shelling, injuring at least one individual. Witnesses say the outraged protestors broke into the Mandani police station property, set fire to at least 17 parked cars and motorbikes, and destroyed official records. Mob outside Mandni police station in Tehsil Mangi, Charsadda, baying for blood of a man who has a MENTAL ILLNESS and allegedly tore off pages of Islamic holy scripture. #Charsadda #blasphemy [Videos via @AbdullahMomandJ ] pic.twitter.com/zRod6iurNL — Rabia Mehmood - رابعہ (@Rabail26) November 28, 2021 × A violent mob setting fire to Mandni Police station in reaction to an alleged blasphemy in Tehsil Tangi of #Charsadda. A mentally unwell man allegedly tore off pages of Islamic holy scripture. The blasphemy law will burn down the sanity of this country.pic.twitter.com/CUoKmzK6Zn — Mona Farooq Ahmad (@MFChaudhryy) November 28, 2021 × The officers left the station and fled. Local leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl held a protest march at Mandani market later that day, demanding that the accused be punished. Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in deeply conservative Pakistan, where mere allegations have led to extrajudicial killings and mob violence. Human rights campaigners have long sought the repeal of blasphemy laws, arguing they are used to victimise religious minorities or settle personal scores. From 1987 to December 2020, at least 1,855 persons have been alleged under the offences related to religion, mostly under Sections 295B, C to 298C, of the Pakistan Penal Code known as Blasphemy laws. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Mob sets police station on fire in search for man accused of Quran desecration

<p>A Pakistani court here has sentenced to death a woman school principal for committing blasphemy.</p>

<p>The district and sessions court on Monday handed down the death sentence to Salma Tanvir, principal of a private school in Nishtar Colony, and imposed a fine of PKR 5,000 (USD 29) on her.</p>

<p>Additional districts and sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmad observed in the verdict that Tanvir committed blasphemy by denying that Prophet Muhammad was not the last prophet of Islam.</p>

<p>Lahore police in 2013 registered a blasphemy case against Tanvir on the complaint of a local cleric.</p>

<p>She was accused of denying the finality of Prophet Muhammad and claimed herself to be the Prophet of Islam.</p>

<p>Tanvir's counsel, Muhammad Ramzan, argued that her client was an "unsound minded person" and the court should have taken that fact into account.</p>

<p>However, a report by a medical board of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health submitted to the court by the prosecution said "the suspect was fit to stand trial as she was not mentally deranged.<br />
" Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws and their prescribed punishments are considered extremely severe.</p>

<p>At least 1,472 people have been charged under the blasphemy law in Pakistan since 1987.</p>

<p>People accused of blasphemy are usually deprived of the right to a counsel of their choice as most lawyers refuse to take up such sensitive cases.</p>

<p>The blasphemy laws are colonial-era legislation, but they were amended by former dictator General Ziaul Haq which increased the severity of prescribed punishments.</p>


A Pakistani court here has sentenced to death a woman school principal for committing blasphemy. The district and sessions court on Monday handed down the death sentence to Salma Tanvir, principal of a private school in Nishtar Colony, and imposed a fine of PKR 5,000 (USD 29) on her.

A Pakistani court here has sentenced to death a woman school principal for committing blasphemy. The district and sessions court on Monday handed down the death sentence to Salma Tanvir, principal of a private school in Nishtar Colony, and imposed a fine of PKR 5,000 (USD 29) on her. Additional districts and sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmad observed in the verdict that Tanvir committed blasphemy by denying that Prophet Muhammad was not the last prophet of Islam. Lahore police in 2013 registered a blasphemy case against Tanvir on the complaint of a local cleric. She was accused of denying the finality of Prophet Muhammad and claimed herself to be the Prophet of Islam. Tanvir's counsel, Muhammad Ramzan, argued that her client was an "unsound minded person" and the court should have taken that fact into account. However, a report by a medical board of the Punjab Institute of Mental Health submitted to the court by the prosecution said "the suspect was fit to stand trial as she was not mentally deranged. " Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws and their prescribed punishments are considered extremely severe. At least 1,472 people have been charged under the blasphemy law in Pakistan since 1987. People accused of blasphemy are usually deprived of the right to a counsel of their choice as most lawyers refuse to take up such sensitive cases. The blasphemy laws are colonial-era legislation, but they were amended by former dictator General Ziaul Haq which increased the severity of prescribed punishments.

Pakistan court sentences woman school principal to death for committing blasphemy

An 8-year-old boy has been charged with blasphemy in Pakistan becoming the youngest person ever to face such a charge. Palki Sharma tells you how Pakistan exploits its blasphemy laws to target its minorities.

Gravitas: 8-yr-old Hindu boy charged with blasphemy in Pak

<p>An eight-year-old Hindu boy is being held in protective police custody in east Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in the country.</p>

<p>The boy is accused of intentionally urinating on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept, last month. Blasphemy charges can carry the death penalty.</p>

<p>His family is in hiding and many of the Hindu community in the conservative district of Rahim Yar Khan, in Punjab, have fled their homes. This happened after a Muslim crowd attacked a Hindu temple after the boy’s release on bail last week.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The deplorable attack on a Hindu temple in Bhong, Rahimyar Khan, is a recurring example of mob-led violence against vulnerable religious minorities. The fact that this occurred in response to a court granting bail to a child charged with a minor offence is of particular concern. <a href="https://t.co/aDENO5PKte">pic.twitter.com/aDENO5PKte</a></p>
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) <a href="https://twitter.com/HRCP87/status/1423214268971950080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Also, troops were deployed to the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As of now, 20 people were arrested in connection with the temple attack.</p>

<p>The Guardian claims to know the identity of the boy and his family, however, they chose to protect it.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-holds-mass-cremations-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases-404193"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Sri Lanka holds mass cremations amid surge in coronavirus cases</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking from an undisclosed location, a member of the boy’s family was quoted by The Guardian as saying, “He [the boy] is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn’t understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We have left our shops and work, the entire community is scared and we fear backlash. We don’t want to return to this area. We don’t see any concrete and meaningful action will be taken against the culprits or to safeguard the minorities living here.”</p>

<p>Blasphemy charges filed against a child left the lawmakers completely stunned.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ramesh Kumar, a lawmaker and head of the Pakistan Hindu Council, was quoted by The Guardian saying, "The attack on the temple and blasphemy allegations against the eight-year-old minor boy has really shocked me. More than a hundred homes of the Hindu community have been emptied due to fear of attack".</p>


An eight-year-old Hindu boy is being held in protective police custody in east Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in the country.

An eight-year-old Hindu boy is being held in protective police custody in east Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in the country. The boy is accused of intentionally urinating on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept, last month. Blasphemy charges can carry the death penalty. His family is in hiding and many of the Hindu community in the conservative district of Rahim Yar Khan, in Punjab, have fled their homes. This happened after a Muslim crowd attacked a Hindu temple after the boy’s release on bail last week. The deplorable attack on a Hindu temple in Bhong, Rahimyar Khan, is a recurring example of mob-led violence against vulnerable religious minorities. The fact that this occurred in response to a court granting bail to a child charged with a minor offence is of particular concern. pic.twitter.com/aDENO5PKte — Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) August 5, 2021 × Also, troops were deployed to the area. As of now, 20 people were arrested in connection with the temple attack. The Guardian claims to know the identity of the boy and his family, however, they chose to protect it. Also read | Sri Lanka holds mass cremations amid surge in coronavirus cases Speaking from an undisclosed location, a member of the boy’s family was quoted by The Guardian as saying, “He [the boy] is not even aware of such blasphemy issues and he has been falsely indulged in these matters. He still doesn’t understand what his crime was and why he was kept in jail for a week. “We have left our shops and work, the entire community is scared and we fear backlash. We don’t want to return to this area. We don’t see any concrete and meaningful action will be taken against the culprits or to safeguard the minorities living here.” Blasphemy charges filed against a child left the lawmakers completely stunned. Ramesh Kumar, a lawmaker and head of the Pakistan Hindu Council, was quoted by The Guardian saying, "The attack on the temple and blasphemy allegations against the eight-year-old minor boy has really shocked me. More than a hundred homes of the Hindu community have been emptied due to fear of attack".

8-yr-old Hindu boy becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan

<p>A Pakistani police constable has been arrested after killing a man with an axe who was acquitted of blasphemy charges last year, a police spokesman said.</p>

<p>Waqas Ahmed was tried and acquitted in 2016 over a Facebook post.</p>

<p>Abdul Qadir, a policeman in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab province, was enraged by the verdict and assaulted him with a cleaver late on Friday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"He... had been planning to kill him since 2016 over allegations of disrespecting the Prophet Mohammed," said Rana Muhammad Ashraf, a police official.</p>

<p>Ahmed Nawaz, a police spokesman, confirmed the incident, adding that the victim's brother was also injured in the attack.</p>

<p>"The constable voluntarily gave himself up to the police," Nawaz said.</p>

<p>According to police, the attacker and the victim were both from the same tribe and village, and they were examining whether there was any personal animosity between them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Pakistan, blasphemy is a serious offence, punishable by death. The law, however, is difficult to fight as it does not clearly define what is blasphemous. Presenting evidence can sometimes be considered a violation in itself.</p>

<p>Blasphemy is a controversial topic in the Islamic Republic, with critics claiming that the rules are sometimes used to settle personal scores and unfairly target minorities.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A Pakistani police constable has been arrested after killing a man with an axe who was acquitted of blasphemy charges last year, a police spokesman said. Waqas Ahmed was tried and acquitted in 2016 over a Facebook post.

A Pakistani police constable has been arrested after killing a man with an axe who was acquitted of blasphemy charges last year, a police spokesman said. Waqas Ahmed was tried and acquitted in 2016 over a Facebook post. Abdul Qadir, a policeman in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab province, was enraged by the verdict and assaulted him with a cleaver late on Friday. "He... had been planning to kill him since 2016 over allegations of disrespecting the Prophet Mohammed," said Rana Muhammad Ashraf, a police official. Ahmed Nawaz, a police spokesman, confirmed the incident, adding that the victim's brother was also injured in the attack. "The constable voluntarily gave himself up to the police," Nawaz said. According to police, the attacker and the victim were both from the same tribe and village, and they were examining whether there was any personal animosity between them. In Pakistan, blasphemy is a serious offence, punishable by death. The law, however, is difficult to fight as it does not clearly define what is blasphemous. Presenting evidence can sometimes be considered a violation in itself. Blasphemy is a controversial topic in the Islamic Republic, with critics claiming that the rules are sometimes used to settle personal scores and unfairly target minorities. (With inputs from agencies)

Man acquitted of blasphemy killed by Pakistani policemen with an axe

<p>China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned&nbsp;event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution.</p>

<p>"The US has rounded up a few countries to abuse the resources and platform of the United Nations to smear and attack China to serve its interests. This is total blasphemy against the United Nations,"&nbsp;Hua&nbsp;said at a daily news conference in Beijing.</p>

<p>Some Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour.</p>

<p>Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centres to combat religious extremism.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Monday said that a planned event at the United Nations on the repression of Uighur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang was an insult to the institution. "The US has rounded up a few countries to abuse the resources and platform of the United Nations to smear and attack China to serve its interests. This is total blasphemy against the United Nations," Hua said at a daily news conference in Beijing. Some Western states and rights groups have accused authorities in Xinjiang of detaining and torturing Uighurs in camps, which the United States has described as genocide. In January, Washington banned the import of cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations of forced labour. Beijing denies the accusations and describes the camps as vocational training centres to combat religious extremism. (With inputs from agencies)

China cries foul, calls planned UN event on Xinjiang 'total blasphemy'

<p>The Pakistan government has decided that there would be no compromise on the country`s controversial blasphemy law, days after the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a review of Islamabad eligibility for the General Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status in wake of an "alarming" increase in the use of blasphemy accusations in the country.</p>

<p>Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday chaired a meeting to review the EU Parliament`s Thursday resolution that claimed that there has been an alarming increase in accusations of blasphemy online and offline in Pakistan over the past year, The Express Tribune reported.</p>

<p>The European Parliament, in its latest session on Thursday, adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review GSP plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases.</p>

<p>Pakistan has expressed disappointment over the adoption of the resolution by the EU. According to sources, the meeting on Monday decided not to compromise on the blasphemy law as well as the law declaring Ahmadi community non-Muslim.</p>

<p>The meeting was told that Pakistan`s agreement with the EU did not include any condition with regard to religion.Pakistan had made a total of eight agreements with the EU on various human rights issues including human freedom, enforced disappearances, women rights and minority rights.The meeting was told that the country would suffer an annual loss of $3billion if the EU revokes its GSP+ status.</p>

<p>In January 2014, the EU granted Pakistan status under its flagship trading scheme, the General Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).The GSP+ provides enhanced and preferential free trade between the EU and a small list of countries that are meant to be among those developing countries with the best human rights records.</p>

<p>According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face the death penalty.In December 2020, the US&nbsp;House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam.</p>

<p>Pakistan`s blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan`s human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life.</p>


The Pakistan government has decided that there would be no compromise on the country`s controversial blasphemy law, days after the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a review of Islamabad eligibility for the General Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status in wake of an "alarming" increase in the use of blasphemy accusations in the country.

The Pakistan government has decided that there would be no compromise on the country`s controversial blasphemy law, days after the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for a review of Islamabad eligibility for the General Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status in wake of an "alarming" increase in the use of blasphemy accusations in the country. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday chaired a meeting to review the EU Parliament`s Thursday resolution that claimed that there has been an alarming increase in accusations of blasphemy online and offline in Pakistan over the past year, The Express Tribune reported. The European Parliament, in its latest session on Thursday, adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review GSP plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases. Pakistan has expressed disappointment over the adoption of the resolution by the EU. According to sources, the meeting on Monday decided not to compromise on the blasphemy law as well as the law declaring Ahmadi community non-Muslim. The meeting was told that Pakistan`s agreement with the EU did not include any condition with regard to religion.Pakistan had made a total of eight agreements with the EU on various human rights issues including human freedom, enforced disappearances, women rights and minority rights.The meeting was told that the country would suffer an annual loss of $3billion if the EU revokes its GSP+ status. In January 2014, the EU granted Pakistan status under its flagship trading scheme, the General Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).The GSP+ provides enhanced and preferential free trade between the EU and a small list of countries that are meant to be among those developing countries with the best human rights records. According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face the death penalty.In December 2020, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam. Pakistan`s blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan`s human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life.

Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review

<p>The European Union has raised concerns over Pakistan`s harsh blasphemy laws as they are "often misused to silence opponents and their defenders and to discriminate against religious minorities" and pointed Ahmadi Muslims are probably the most at risk.</p>

<p>The European Parliament, in its latest session on Thursday, adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review GSP (Generalised Scheme of Preferences) plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases.</p>

<p>The Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel, whose lower body is paralysed for the past many years, were falsely accused of committing blasphemy by sending a blasphemous SMS to a Muslim person in 2013 in district Toba Tek Singh.</p>

<p>"Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry very harsh sentences, including the death penalty, which the European Union strongly opposes, under any circumstances," said Oliver Varhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.</p>

<p>"They are often misused to silence opponents and their defenders and to discriminate against religious minorities, with severe negative effects on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. Ahmadi Muslims are probably the most at risk," he added.</p>

<p>The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus, the GSP+, granted to Pakistan requires to demonstrate progress on the implementation of the 27 international core conventions. And it constitutes strong leverage for the European Union in terms of monitoring any direct advocacy with Pakistan.</p>

<p>"The tragic cases of individuals on death row because of blasphemy accusations also point to the structural weaknesses of the Pakistani judicial system and the unequal access to justice," the commissioner said.</p>

<p>He said that the European Union is strongly engaged in promoting and protecting human rights.</p>

<p>"We are providing support to Pakistan to strengthen the rule of law and access to justice and to legal representation... The European Union will continue our regular dialogue on human rights with the government of Pakistan and that the particular issues of blasphemy laws and the death penalty remain important points on our agenda," the commissoner said further.</p>

<p>Recently, a board member of ACAT (the Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture), Belgium-based organisation working for the betterment of Christians worldwide, wrote a letter to Pakistan PM Imran Khan drawing attention to the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, a Christian couple convicted of "blasphemy" and sentenced to death in 2014 for allegedly sending "blasphemous"&nbsp;text messages to the Imam of a mosque, reported Pentapostagma.</p>

<p>According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face the death penalty.</p>

<p>In December 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam.</p>

<p>Pakistan's blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan's human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life.</p>

<p>These blasphemy laws violate Article 6(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that states that the automatic and mandatory death penalty constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life.</p>

<p>Therefore, these laws do not comply with human rights law and standards, nor do they contain basic safeguards to limit the risk of further human rights violations and abuses, and are emblematic of the dangers faced by religious minorities in the country, wrote Pentapostagma.&nbsp;</p>


The European Union has raised concerns over Pakistan`s harsh blasphemy laws as they are "often misused to silence opponents and their defenders and to discriminate against religious minorities" and pointed Ahmadi Muslims are probably the most at risk.

The European Union has raised concerns over Pakistan`s harsh blasphemy laws as they are "often misused to silence opponents and their defenders and to discriminate against religious minorities" and pointed Ahmadi Muslims are probably the most at risk. The European Parliament, in its latest session on Thursday, adopted a resolution demanding Pakistan to allow space for religious freedom and urged the EU authorities to review GSP (Generalised Scheme of Preferences) plus status for Pakistan amid the increasing number of blasphemy cases. The Christian couple Shagufta Kausar and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel, whose lower body is paralysed for the past many years, were falsely accused of committing blasphemy by sending a blasphemous SMS to a Muslim person in 2013 in district Toba Tek Singh. "Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry very harsh sentences, including the death penalty, which the European Union strongly opposes, under any circumstances," said Oliver Varhelyi, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement. "They are often misused to silence opponents and their defenders and to discriminate against religious minorities, with severe negative effects on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief. Ahmadi Muslims are probably the most at risk," he added. The Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus, the GSP+, granted to Pakistan requires to demonstrate progress on the implementation of the 27 international core conventions. And it constitutes strong leverage for the European Union in terms of monitoring any direct advocacy with Pakistan. "The tragic cases of individuals on death row because of blasphemy accusations also point to the structural weaknesses of the Pakistani judicial system and the unequal access to justice," the commissioner said. He said that the European Union is strongly engaged in promoting and protecting human rights. "We are providing support to Pakistan to strengthen the rule of law and access to justice and to legal representation... The European Union will continue our regular dialogue on human rights with the government of Pakistan and that the particular issues of blasphemy laws and the death penalty remain important points on our agenda," the commissoner said further. Recently, a board member of ACAT (the Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture), Belgium-based organisation working for the betterment of Christians worldwide, wrote a letter to Pakistan PM Imran Khan drawing attention to the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, a Christian couple convicted of "blasphemy" and sentenced to death in 2014 for allegedly sending "blasphemous" text messages to the Imam of a mosque, reported Pentapostagma. According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face the death penalty. In December 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam. Pakistan's blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan's human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life. These blasphemy laws violate Article 6(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that states that the automatic and mandatory death penalty constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life. Therefore, these laws do not comply with human rights law and standards, nor do they contain basic safeguards to limit the risk of further human rights violations and abuses, and are emblematic of the dangers faced by religious minorities in the country, wrote Pentapostagma.

EU expresses concern over rising blasphemy cases in Pakistan

<p>Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in deeply conservative Pakistan where mere allegations have led to extrajudicial killings and mob violence.</p>

<p>In February 2021, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an NGO based out of Lahore, Pakistan, released data that showed the abuse of blasphemy laws had increased exponentially in Pakistan, reported Pentapostagma.</p>

<p>Human rights campaigners have long sought the repeal of blasphemy laws, arguing they are used to victimize religious minorities or settle personal scores.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/turkey-pakistan-afghanistan-urge-taliban-to-agree-on-ceasefire-379775/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>From 1987 to December 2020, at least 1,855 persons have been alleged under the offences related to religion, mostly under Sections 295B, C to 298C, of the Pakistan Penal Code known as Blasphemy laws, said the advocacy group CSJ in its press release.</p>

<p>Christians, one of the largest religious minority groups in Pakistan with a population of around 2.8 million have faced the major burnt of blasphemy laws, reported Pentapostagma.</p>

<p>Pakistan was ranked as the world`s fifth-worst persecutor of Christians by Open Doors USA, a California-based non-profit organization, in its 2021 World Watch List.</p>

<p>In 1997, the twin villages of Shantinagar-Tibba colony under Multan Division, were looted and burnt by 20,000 Muslim citizens and 500 policemen acting together after an incident of desecration of the Quran was reported.</p>

<p>The police had first evacuated the Christian population of 15,000, and then helped the raiders use explosives to blow up their houses and property, reported Pentapostagma.</p>

<p>Several incidents of arson and loot of Christian properties have been reported ever since. In 2005, a mob of 3,000 led by a local politician and the police burnt down three churches, a missionary run-school, two hostels and several houses belonging to Christians in Sangla Hill in Nankana district in Punjab.</p>

<p>The false allegations of blasphemy are often rooted into personal grudges, conflicts in workplaces and in communities.</p>

<p>Recently, a board member of ACAT (the Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture), Belgium-based organization working for the betterment of Christians worldwide, wrote a letter to Pakistan PM Imran Khan drawing attention to the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, a Christian couple convicted of "blasphemy" and sentenced to death in 2014 for allegedly sending "blasphemous" text messages to the Imam of a mosque, reported Pentapostagma.</p>

<p>According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face death penalty.</p>

<p>In December 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam.</p>

<p>Pakistan`s blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan`s human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life.</p>

<p>These blasphemy laws violate Article 6(1) of the International covenant on Civil and Political Rights that states that the automatic and mandatory death penalty constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life.</p>

<p>Therefore, these laws do not comply with human rights law and standards, nor do they contain basic safeguards to limit the risk of further human rights violations and abuses, and are emblematic of the dangers faced by religious minorities in the country, wrote Pentapostagma.</p>


Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in deeply conservative Pakistan where mere allegations have led to extrajudicial killings and mob violence. In February 2021, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an NGO based out of Lahore, Pakistan, released data that showed the abuse of blasphemy laws had increased exponentially in Pakistan, reported Pentapostagma.

Blasphemy is a highly sensitive issue in deeply conservative Pakistan where mere allegations have led to extrajudicial killings and mob violence. In February 2021, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an NGO based out of Lahore, Pakistan, released data that showed the abuse of blasphemy laws had increased exponentially in Pakistan, reported Pentapostagma. Human rights campaigners have long sought the repeal of blasphemy laws, arguing they are used to victimize religious minorities or settle personal scores. Watch | From 1987 to December 2020, at least 1,855 persons have been alleged under the offences related to religion, mostly under Sections 295B, C to 298C, of the Pakistan Penal Code known as Blasphemy laws, said the advocacy group CSJ in its press release. Christians, one of the largest religious minority groups in Pakistan with a population of around 2.8 million have faced the major burnt of blasphemy laws, reported Pentapostagma. Pakistan was ranked as the world`s fifth-worst persecutor of Christians by Open Doors USA, a California-based non-profit organization, in its 2021 World Watch List. In 1997, the twin villages of Shantinagar-Tibba colony under Multan Division, were looted and burnt by 20,000 Muslim citizens and 500 policemen acting together after an incident of desecration of the Quran was reported. The police had first evacuated the Christian population of 15,000, and then helped the raiders use explosives to blow up their houses and property, reported Pentapostagma. Several incidents of arson and loot of Christian properties have been reported ever since. In 2005, a mob of 3,000 led by a local politician and the police burnt down three churches, a missionary run-school, two hostels and several houses belonging to Christians in Sangla Hill in Nankana district in Punjab. The false allegations of blasphemy are often rooted into personal grudges, conflicts in workplaces and in communities. Recently, a board member of ACAT (the Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture), Belgium-based organization working for the betterment of Christians worldwide, wrote a letter to Pakistan PM Imran Khan drawing attention to the case of Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar, a Christian couple convicted of "blasphemy" and sentenced to death in 2014 for allegedly sending "blasphemous" text messages to the Imam of a mosque, reported Pentapostagma. According to the October 2019 report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, at least 80 people have been convicted of blasphemy in Pakistan and many of them face death penalty. In December 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, some of which have resulted in the imprisonment and/or deaths of Christians accused of speaking against Islam. Pakistan`s blasphemy laws, both in content and application, are contrary to Pakistan`s human rights obligations to respect and protect the right to life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief, freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the law, prohibition of discrimination and the right to life. These blasphemy laws violate Article 6(1) of the International covenant on Civil and Political Rights that states that the automatic and mandatory death penalty constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life. Therefore, these laws do not comply with human rights law and standards, nor do they contain basic safeguards to limit the risk of further human rights violations and abuses, and are emblematic of the dangers faced by religious minorities in the country, wrote Pentapostagma.

Pakistan's obsession with blasphemy laws leads to extrajudicial killings, mob violence

<p>The controversial blasphemy law in Pakistan, which have long been used to subjugate the minorities in the countries, is now being employed to silence women fighting for their rights.</p>

<p>Recently, two Pakistani courts have asked authorities to register cases against organisers of last month's Pakistan's Women's March for violating blasphemy law, which carries a potential death sentence for anyone who insults Islam.</p>

<p>The Aurat March is an annually-held demonstration, organised in various cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar to observe International Women's Day.</p>

<p>A petition seeking to ban the annual gathering has also been lodged with the Islamabad High Court.</p>

<p>The petitioner accused that blasphemous slogans were used during the Women's March. However, the organisers have clarified that the participants of the march did not raise such slogans and their video was doctored to defame their struggle.</p>

<p>"Pakistan is not a democratic state but a religious state where clerics wield a lot of influence," Mehdi Hassan, a former chairperson of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission, told DW.</p>

<p>"Hurling allegations of blasphemy amounts to jeopardizing the lives of people here. We fear that the lives of women activists are in danger because there are so many extremists out there in the streets who could target them at any time. At least seven people have been killed just because of blasphemy allegations. Therefore, it is important that the government provides them [the activists] with protection," she said.</p>

<p>Lahore-based activist Shazia Khan said friends and relatives have pressured them to maintain a low profile following the accusations and legal cases.</p>

<p>"Hatemongers and misogynistic media personalities have been spewing venom against us, jeopardizing the lives of women in a country where people are killed merely due to false accusations of blasphemy," said Khan.</p>

<p>Khan believes it is difficult to say who is behind these threats and litigation.</p>

<p>"All the videos and posters have been fabricated or doctored. There is no truth to these accusations," prominent activist Farzana Bari told DW.</p>

<p>Organizers of the march have also written an open letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to draw his attention to the threats.</p>

<p>This year, even the terrorist group Tehreek Taliban Pakistan publicly threatened the organizers on Twitter, much to the alarm of women's rights activists.</p>

<p>The tweet said, "Fix your ways. There are still many young Muslims here who know how to protect Islam and the boundaries set by Allah."</p>


The controversial blasphemy law in Pakistan, which have long been used to subjugate the minorities in the countries, is now being employed to silence women fighting for their rights.

The controversial blasphemy law in Pakistan, which have long been used to subjugate the minorities in the countries, is now being employed to silence women fighting for their rights. Recently, two Pakistani courts have asked authorities to register cases against organisers of last month's Pakistan's Women's March for violating blasphemy law, which carries a potential death sentence for anyone who insults Islam. The Aurat March is an annually-held demonstration, organised in various cities of Pakistan including Lahore, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Karachi, Islamabad and Peshawar to observe International Women's Day. A petition seeking to ban the annual gathering has also been lodged with the Islamabad High Court. The petitioner accused that blasphemous slogans were used during the Women's March. However, the organisers have clarified that the participants of the march did not raise such slogans and their video was doctored to defame their struggle. "Pakistan is not a democratic state but a religious state where clerics wield a lot of influence," Mehdi Hassan, a former chairperson of Pakistan's Human Rights Commission, told DW. "Hurling allegations of blasphemy amounts to jeopardizing the lives of people here. We fear that the lives of women activists are in danger because there are so many extremists out there in the streets who could target them at any time. At least seven people have been killed just because of blasphemy allegations. Therefore, it is important that the government provides them [the activists] with protection," she said. Lahore-based activist Shazia Khan said friends and relatives have pressured them to maintain a low profile following the accusations and legal cases. "Hatemongers and misogynistic media personalities have been spewing venom against us, jeopardizing the lives of women in a country where people are killed merely due to false accusations of blasphemy," said Khan. Khan believes it is difficult to say who is behind these threats and litigation. "All the videos and posters have been fabricated or doctored. There is no truth to these accusations," prominent activist Farzana Bari told DW. Organizers of the march have also written an open letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan to draw his attention to the threats. This year, even the terrorist group Tehreek Taliban Pakistan publicly threatened the organizers on Twitter, much to the alarm of women's rights activists. The tweet said, "Fix your ways. There are still many young Muslims here who know how to protect Islam and the boundaries set by Allah."

Pakistan: Women activists facing blasphemy allegations after 'Aurat March'

<p>An Iranian Instagram star&nbsp;Sahar Tabar has been arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for posting distorted images online.</p>

<p>Tabar,&nbsp;whose real name is Fatemeh Khishvand, is a 19-year-old Iranian woman who was popular on the social media platform Instagram and at one point had nearly&nbsp;486,000 followers. However, her good days suddenly turned into a nightmare when she was arrested for her social media activities.</p>

<p>She gained followers by posting several pictures and videos. In some of these pictures, Tabar can be seen with filters on her face which gave her a gaunt look similar to a zombie. As per authorities, through these images, she had disrespected the&nbsp;Islamic Republic.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-executes-opposition-figure-ruhollah-zam-349254">Iran executes opposition figure Ruhollah Zam</a></strong></p>

<p>It was also alleged that these images of Tabar were corrupting young children's brains. She has been charged with&nbsp;blasphemy, gaining wealth from&nbsp;inappropriate means, inciting violence and encouraging youngsters for corruption. She claimed to have been, now, cleared of two out of four charges. However, she has refused to point out the details as she is now hoping for a complete pardon.</p>

<p>She was arrested a year ago and had also requested a release from detention claiming she had been infected by the deadly coronavirus. Tabar has also been presented as a "victim with an abnormal personality and mental state" by the local media. This portrayal of her personality has been backed by her medical records which point towards a condition of medical instability and add several visits to&nbsp;psychiatric hospitals as a proof of the same.</p>

<p>Tabar had also made tries to reach out to the Hollywood actress Angelina&nbsp;Jolie, requesting her tp stand up for another woman in need of support. "The Islamic Republic has a history of tormenting women. We need to be united against this gender apartheid," she had said.</p>

<p>Her lawyers are now hoping for a complete pardon on the basis of her medical condition and her age at the time of the alleged crime.</p>


An Iranian Instagram star Sahar Tabar has been arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for posting distorted images online. Tabar, whose real name is Fatemeh Khishvand, is a 19-year-old Iranian woman who was popular on the social media platform Instagram and at one point had nearly 486,000 followers.

An Iranian Instagram star Sahar Tabar has been arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for posting distorted images online. Tabar, whose real name is Fatemeh Khishvand, is a 19-year-old Iranian woman who was popular on the social media platform Instagram and at one point had nearly 486,000 followers. However, her good days suddenly turned into a nightmare when she was arrested for her social media activities. She gained followers by posting several pictures and videos. In some of these pictures, Tabar can be seen with filters on her face which gave her a gaunt look similar to a zombie. As per authorities, through these images, she had disrespected the Islamic Republic. Also read| Iran executes opposition figure Ruhollah Zam It was also alleged that these images of Tabar were corrupting young children's brains. She has been charged with blasphemy, gaining wealth from inappropriate means, inciting violence and encouraging youngsters for corruption. She claimed to have been, now, cleared of two out of four charges. However, she has refused to point out the details as she is now hoping for a complete pardon. She was arrested a year ago and had also requested a release from detention claiming she had been infected by the deadly coronavirus. Tabar has also been presented as a "victim with an abnormal personality and mental state" by the local media. This portrayal of her personality has been backed by her medical records which point towards a condition of medical instability and add several visits to psychiatric hospitals as a proof of the same. Tabar had also made tries to reach out to the Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, requesting her tp stand up for another woman in need of support. "The Islamic Republic has a history of tormenting women. We need to be united against this gender apartheid," she had said. Her lawyers are now hoping for a complete pardon on the basis of her medical condition and her age at the time of the alleged crime.

Iranian woman arrested for posting 'Zombie-like' images; charged for blasphemy

<p>Police in Pakistan have arrested two members of a Jirga, a council of elderly people, for sentencing a woman in Punjab province to death by stoning for allegedly eloping with a man and bearing his child out of wedlock.</p>

<p>According to the FIR, the council of elderly people comprising six persons held a meeting sometime back and sentenced the woman, a mother of nine, to death under the old custom of 'karo kari' in Muzaffargarh, some 400kms from Lahore.</p>

<p>Under this custom, a woman is stoned to death in the name of family honour. Police arrested two of the members and are on a look out for the remaining.</p>

<p>Police official Mehar Riaz Hussain said that the woman had eloped with Noor Shah, a man of her locality, and bore a child out of wedlock.</p>

<p>He said Shah was captured by some elders of the village who brought him back in June last year. The council awarded him a death sentence and he was subsequently killed.</p>

<p>Later, the woman was captured and the council declared that she would be stoned to death after giving birth to the child, the police official said.</p>

<p>The FIR against the Jirga members is registered under sections 310-A, 506-B (punishment for criminal intimidation, if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code.</p>

<p>Hussain said the woman has been provided protection.</p>

<p>Honour killing, locally known as 'karo kari' is an act of murder due to the belief that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family. Often women are killed in the name of ?karo kari' which is believed to restore honour and reputation of a family.</p>


Police in Pakistan have arrested two members of a Jirga, a council of elderly people, for sentencing a woman in Punjab province to death by stoning for allegedly eloping with a man and bearing his child out of wedlock.

Police in Pakistan have arrested two members of a Jirga, a council of elderly people, for sentencing a woman in Punjab province to death by stoning for allegedly eloping with a man and bearing his child out of wedlock. According to the FIR, the council of elderly people comprising six persons held a meeting sometime back and sentenced the woman, a mother of nine, to death under the old custom of 'karo kari' in Muzaffargarh, some 400kms from Lahore. Under this custom, a woman is stoned to death in the name of family honour. Police arrested two of the members and are on a look out for the remaining. Police official Mehar Riaz Hussain said that the woman had eloped with Noor Shah, a man of her locality, and bore a child out of wedlock. He said Shah was captured by some elders of the village who brought him back in June last year. The council awarded him a death sentence and he was subsequently killed. Later, the woman was captured and the council declared that she would be stoned to death after giving birth to the child, the police official said. The FIR against the Jirga members is registered under sections 310-A, 506-B (punishment for criminal intimidation, if threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, etc), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Hussain said the woman has been provided protection. Honour killing, locally known as 'karo kari' is an act of murder due to the belief that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family. Often women are killed in the name of ?karo kari' which is believed to restore honour and reputation of a family.

Two Jirga members arrested in Pak for sentencing woman to death by stoning

blasphemy

Blasphemy, News on Blasphemy, stories on Blasphemy, articles on Blasphemy, Blasphemy stories at Wion, Blasphemy news, Blasphemy latest news