Thousands of people in northwestern Pakistan rallied on Friday in support of the man who allegedly killed a US citizen inside a courtroom in the city of Peshawar. 
&nbsp; 
The demonstrators in Karachi were praising the accused for the killing, demanding his immediate release from jail and saying he did what was expected of the government.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/welcome-to-pakistan-a-state-where-murder-in-courtroom-is-celebrated-317118">Welcome to Pakistan: A state where murder in courtroom is celebrated</a>

"We are not in favour of taking the law into our own hands, but he did what the government should have done two years ago," said Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, who led the rally, told the news agency the Associated Press.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-citizen-accused-of-blasphemy-shot-dead-in-pakistan-courtroom-316959">US citizen accused of blasphemy shot dead in Pakistan courtroom</a>&nbsp;

Tahir Naseem, a US citizen, was gunned down in a courtroom on Thursday during his trial for blasphemy.&nbsp;

He died before he was taken to hospital and the gunman was arrested.&nbsp;

On Thursday too, several people in the social media and politicians lauded the accused of committing the crime.&nbsp;

The US Statement also reacted strongly against the killing and asked Pakistan to reform "often-abused" blasphemy laws.&nbsp;

"We are shocked, saddened, and outraged that American citizen Tahir Naseem was killed yesterday inside a Pakistani courtroom," the State Department said, in a statement, on Thursday.

The statement also said the victim was "lured to Pakistan" from his home in Illinois and was entrapped by the controversial law.&nbsp;

"We urge Pakistan to immediately reform its often abused blasphemy laws and its court system, which allow such abuses to occur, and to ensure that the suspect is prosecuted to the full extent of the law," the statement said.

Naseem was facing a trial after it was alleged that he declared himself Islam's prophet.&nbsp;

The blasphemy law in Pakistan has been criticised a lot by human rights activists and other nations, which even result in a death sentence.

Also, often, the mere allegation of insulting Islam has led to vigilantes and mobs brutally killing the accused.

Thousands of people in northwestern Pakistan rallied on Friday in support of the man who allegedly killed a US citizen inside a courtroom in the city of Peshawar.

Thousands of people in northwestern Pakistan rallied on Friday in support of the man who allegedly killed a US citizen inside a courtroom in the city of Peshawar. The demonstrators in Karachi were praising the accused for the killing, demanding his immediate release from jail and saying he did what was expected of the government. Also read | Welcome to Pakistan: A state where murder in courtroom is celebrated "We are not in favour of taking the law into our own hands, but he did what the government should have done two years ago," said Mufti Shahabuddin Popalzai, who led the rally, told the news agency the Associated Press. Also read | US citizen accused of blasphemy shot dead in Pakistan courtroom Tahir Naseem, a US citizen, was gunned down in a courtroom on Thursday during his trial for blasphemy. He died before he was taken to hospital and the gunman was arrested. On Thursday too, several people in the social media and politicians lauded the accused of committing the crime. The US Statement also reacted strongly against the killing and asked Pakistan to reform "often-abused" blasphemy laws. "We are shocked, saddened, and outraged that American citizen Tahir Naseem was killed yesterday inside a Pakistani courtroom," the State Department said, in a statement, on Thursday. The statement also said the victim was "lured to Pakistan" from his home in Illinois and was entrapped by the controversial law. "We urge Pakistan to immediately reform its often abused blasphemy laws and its court system, which allow such abuses to occur, and to ensure that the suspect is prosecuted to the full extent of the law," the statement said. Naseem was facing a trial after it was alleged that he declared himself Islam's prophet. The blasphemy law in Pakistan has been criticised a lot by human rights activists and other nations, which even result in a death sentence. Also, often, the mere allegation of insulting Islam has led to vigilantes and mobs brutally killing the accused.

Pakistan: Thousands rally for accused in US citizen murder case

Take a look at Pakistan's new youth icon, national hero: Khalid Khan. He is literally being lionised as social media is flooded with the image of Khalid with a lion in the background.&nbsp;

There are virtual rose petals being showered on him and called as 'Aashiq-e-Rasool' (Lover of the Prophet). Even Pakistani leaders are singing praises for this young man.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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The reason being Khalid receiving so much love and affection is because he killed a man, inside a Peshawar courtroom, in front of a judge on Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-citizen-accused-of-blasphemy-shot-dead-in-pakistan-courtroom-316959">US citizen accused of blasphemy shot dead in Pakistan courtroom</a>

The man who was murdered is Tahir Ahmad Naseem, a US citizen. Tahir was formerly as Ahmadiyya Muslim, the most persecuted community in Pakistan.

He was booked for blasphemy in 2018 for allegedly claiming to be the ''last prophet of Islam".

Reports suggest he was mentally ill and the law under which he was booked could have given him death sentence anyway.&nbsp;

However, none of this matters in Pakistan.

In Pakistan, an act of blasphemy risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes.&nbsp;

Visuals tell us that a man was killed inside a courtroom before his trial ended and Pakistan is celebrating this killing.&nbsp;

These instances speak for themselves what decades of religious polarisation could do.&nbsp;

Many such religious groups in Pakistan have routinely abused blasphemy laws to target the Ahmadiyya community and minorities.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, a Christian man was gunned down in Peshawar because he bought a house in a Muslim neighbourhood.&nbsp;

Another Christian man, a pastor and his wife, who were accused of land grab, were beaten and driven away by their Muslim neighbours in a village in eastern Punjab.&nbsp;

If this looks appalling, then how can one describe Shahbaz Bhatti's killing.

Shahbaz was Pakistan's first federal minister for minorities affairs.

He was the only Christian in the Pakistan cabinet till 2011, who was shot dead by extremists for criticising blasphemy laws.&nbsp;

If a minister faces such violence, forget about the security of a common man.&nbsp;

Let's look at some of the facts.

Since 1987, more than 1,500 people in Pakistan have been accused of blasphemy.&nbsp;

Nearly 50 per cent of these accused belong to the minority communities, despite the fact that minorities make up only three per cent of Pakistan's total population.&nbsp;

A US watchdog on religious freedom estimates that at least 80 individuals remain in Pakistani prisons on blasphemy charges and around half of them face a life sentence or the death penalty.

Many of these cases don't reach their logical conclusion as extremists like Khalid take matters into their own hands and then declared national heroes.&nbsp;

Take a look at Pakistan's new youth icon, national hero: Khalid Khan. He is literally being lionised as social media is flooded with the image of Khalid with a lion in the background.

Take a look at Pakistan's new youth icon, national hero: Khalid Khan. He is literally being lionised as social media is flooded with the image of Khalid with a lion in the background. There are virtual rose petals being showered on him and called as 'Aashiq-e-Rasool' (Lover of the Prophet). Even Pakistani leaders are singing praises for this young man. Watch | The reason being Khalid receiving so much love and affection is because he killed a man, inside a Peshawar courtroom, in front of a judge on Wednesday afternoon. Also read | US citizen accused of blasphemy shot dead in Pakistan courtroom The man who was murdered is Tahir Ahmad Naseem, a US citizen. Tahir was formerly as Ahmadiyya Muslim, the most persecuted community in Pakistan. He was booked for blasphemy in 2018 for allegedly claiming to be the ''last prophet of Islam". Reports suggest he was mentally ill and the law under which he was booked could have given him death sentence anyway. However, none of this matters in Pakistan. In Pakistan, an act of blasphemy risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes. Visuals tell us that a man was killed inside a courtroom before his trial ended and Pakistan is celebrating this killing. These instances speak for themselves what decades of religious polarisation could do. Many such religious groups in Pakistan have routinely abused blasphemy laws to target the Ahmadiyya community and minorities. Earlier this month, a Christian man was gunned down in Peshawar because he bought a house in a Muslim neighbourhood. Another Christian man, a pastor and his wife, who were accused of land grab, were beaten and driven away by their Muslim neighbours in a village in eastern Punjab. If this looks appalling, then how can one describe Shahbaz Bhatti's killing. Shahbaz was Pakistan's first federal minister for minorities affairs. He was the only Christian in the Pakistan cabinet till 2011, who was shot dead by extremists for criticising blasphemy laws. If a minister faces such violence, forget about the security of a common man. Let's look at some of the facts. Since 1987, more than 1,500 people in Pakistan have been accused of blasphemy. Nearly 50 per cent of these accused belong to the minority communities, despite the fact that minorities make up only three per cent of Pakistan's total population. A US watchdog on religious freedom estimates that at least 80 individuals remain in Pakistani prisons on blasphemy charges and around half of them face a life sentence or the death penalty. Many of these cases don't reach their logical conclusion as extremists like Khalid take matters into their own hands and then declared national heroes.

Welcome to Pakistan: A state where murder in courtroom is celebrated

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Pakistan: Thousands rally for accused in US citizen murder case

Welcome to Pakistan: A state where murder in courtroom is celebrated