By BosNewsLife Asia Service
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)– A Pakistani Christian teenager was behind bars Wednesday, August 26, after being beaten on “false” charges of “blasphemy” and several Muslims have demanded a death sentence for him, his family and supporters, rights investigators said.
The group International Christian Concern (ICC) said 18-year-old Safian Masih, who lives in a mixed neighborhood of both Christians and Muslims, is held in a prison of the city of Gujranwala, in Pakistan’s Punjab province. “His family has fled their home because they fear for their safety” after a mob “also threatened to kill anyone who helped Safian or his family,” ICC added.
ICC linked the imprisonment to an incident August 8 when the young daughter of one of his Muslim neighbors demanded that Safian bring her items from the grocery store. When Safian refused she reportedly slapped him, and the young man apparently slapped her back, escalating the argument to include both families.“
After the altercation, the girl’s parents allegedly accused Safian of trying to rape their daughter. “When other Muslims heard this, they gathered and severely beat him. After beating him, they submitted a report to the police accusing Safian of rape, and had him handed over to police custody and jail,” Christians said.
BLASPHEMY CHARGES
Two days later, on August 10, “the Muslims changed their story and accused Safian of blasphemy instead of rape. They claimed that the girl was attending a madrassa, [or Muslim school], to learn about the Koran,” seen as a holy book by Muslims, according to ICC investigators. “When Safian encountered her he took her Koran and tore out its pages,” the Muslims allegedly told police.
After hearing this, some Muslims attacked Safian again and beat him so badly that they forced him to “admit” that he had “blasphemed” the Koran, ICC said. “They then handed him over to the police again. On August 14, a Muslim mob gathered and demanded that Safian be put to death as well as family members or supporters.”
His family apparently remained in hiding Wednesday, August 26. The incident is the latest in a series of reported attacks against Christians in Punjab province. “In Pakistan, Christians live as second-class citizens and repeatedly face violence from the Muslims majority,” claimed ICC representative Jonathan Racho.
“Muslims easily exacerbate small disagreements and call for the execution or even murder of Christians. While ICC does not condone Safian’s slapping of a Muslim girl, it is unconscionable for Muslims to call for his death.”
ICC said it had urged its supporters around the world to “pray for the safety of Safian and his family” and to contact Pakistani embassies in their country to ask for his release.
The Qur’an to me is Satan’s Bible. Nowhere in the Qur’an will you find any lesson on ethics. Nowhere will you find a lesson, in the Qur’an, on Morality, Justice, or Love of Neighbor. NOWHERE! The truth is that the Qur’an is replete with violent passages that go against all humanity, including Muslims. Why do you think that Muslims also war and kill other Muslims? For example, the Sunnis against the Shiites and vice versa. It’s shameful. And Muslims dare call the Qur’an as a Holy Book. What a joke. I Challenge any Muslim to prove me wrong. Now, come after me since I have referred to the Qur’an as Satan’s Bible. P.S. I’ve studied Islam since 9/11.
1st to Mr. Philips, We should respect other religions that we can accept that others will respect our religion.Thats not BIBLE teachings.
2ndly.Where is the religious and Christian political leaders? They should come forward and help this young boy in that case.
Being PAKISTANI any non Muslim can’t do such crime like this as our parents brought up us in that fear and then we educate our kids in that fear too. So its a chain.
I request to all high authorities that take notice of this incident and do the right judgment and stop people to misusing this critical and important issue.
I completely agree with Richard’s views and feel that its Our elected leaders who are not doing much to protect the innocent. when there is an international gathering why aren’t they making the rest of the World aware of the situation in Pakistan.
I hope and pray that God will lead them
More proof that ALLAH is Satan who drives his possessed followers to CONTROL and FALSELY ACCUSE the innocent.
Yah bless, heal and protect the true Christians in such wicked lands, inclusive of Malevolent Misandric Matriarchal Spiritual Shit-holes like Canada.
I totally disagree with the very narrow minded views of Philip. If you have studied the religion and the Quran so closely then please quote exact pasages in their right context against the historical situation at the time. For example, at one point it was ok to launch crusades in the name of religon but not acceptable today. Also I would invite you to type in Dr Zakir Naik into google and listen to his lectures on Islam and Christianity if you really want to understand how similar the two holy books really are. I urge you not to use such words for a holy book, thats not in accordance with the morals of your religion.
I am really not surprised to hear what is going on in Pakistan because if our leaders of Religion like Dr Naik and Mr Deedat teach hatred towards other religions than the normal Muslims will commit such acts , They say no muslim is muslim unless He believes in Jesus Christ than please can they explain me why we are turning against Christians and one more thing why do they laugh and mock Mary and Jesus Mr Naik have no respect for Jesus because he has no respect for Mohammed (PBUH) because according to him dead Mohammed(PBUH)can not help us Ref.Dr naik exposed must see YOU TUBE