Young man accused of "blasphemy" in Gilgit, handed over to police
Public Circles Demand Transparent Investigation
PT Report
Gilgit, March 26: A young man, identified as Yaqub, hailing from Yasin Ghizar has been arrested in Gilgit after people in Konodas handed him over to the police, accusing him of committing blasphemy, irreverence towards the Holy Prophet (PBUH).
According to reports the 22 year old man used foul words against the personality of the Holy Prophet during a debate. The people present at the occasion beat him up and took him to the City Police Station, where cases were filed against him on 6 different charges, under the prevention of blasphemy law.
Hundreds of people gathered to protest after announcements were made from the Jamia Mosque, Gilgit, asking people to come out and protest the alleged act of blasphemy.
The protesters dispersed peacefully after the police assured them that cases had been registered against the blasphemer.
The Ismaili Regional Council for Gilgit, in a press statement made by its President, has condemned the act of alleged blasphemy and asked the government to give exemplary punishment to the accused blasphemer.
Manzoor, the President, has said that no Muslim can tolerate irreverence towards the Holy Prophet. He has appreciated the law enforcing agencies for arresting the accused on time.
It is pertinent to note that punishment for blasphemy is death, which even the President can not pardon.
Public circles have demanded transparent investigation of the accusations because in the past several false blasphemy cases have been lodged by people to settle personal scores.
good job people , hang him up, or beat him in the middle of the gilgit city, stone him or burn him, then there will be no difference among us and animals. I am sure one day this guy will end up like salman taseer or like that christian woman in Lahore. So are we the tolerant muslims? is this the peaceful religious teachings? remember when Holy Prophet PBUH was stonned by people of Tayif, He PBUH pardoned them.
This will be setting a bad precedent. While no irreverence to the Prophet may peace be on him can be allowed the law should take its course. If the guy was daring to call names to the beloved and revered prophet then he should know that there is a law that will take care of him and he will be duly punished. I will not allow people to take law in their hands. Good the guy has been handed over to the police and he will be dealt with as per law. Your comparison of Taif incident does not apply here.
What is the relationship of Ismaili Council of Gilgit in this situation?
I am neither a religious scholar nor a philosopher to comment on the blasphemy law and its parameters in what an individual is subjected to be guilty. According to the source I came to know that the accused has a mental illness and we found so many in our surrounding who are like this who even utter that they are ultimate.
and if he is not mentally ill and guilty we need to take this issue very delicately. I do not thing so that a Muslim can even think to do it. Everyone is a lover of Prophet pbuh in either esoterically or esoterically. If I say that, a person is found guilty and report to police on my personal disliking that would not come under such law. The point is that the police should see it ground realities and eyewitness then its the Sharia Court which would prove an individual guilty.
Last but not least this is a critical issue so we must not try to propagate.
This has gone too far! its outrageous that people have stopped using their brains on this issue. If in fact, its true that the alleged is mentally unstable, its a shameful moment collectively for all the people of GB. How irresponsible that the institutional leadership of the council issues such strong statements before finding out the facts.
if the accused mr yaqub has a mental illness then its shamful to jail and punish him !!!
When I read this article I was shocked about the reaction of the people. Why did they beat him up? Only government is entitled to punish! And I’m in great sorrow if this person is getting a fair trial. It is so easy to accuse someone you dislike to have said this and that. How can you ever know for sure what has been said? Does he have access to a lawyer? Can he see a doctor? I totally oppose the death penalty in any case.
Iris! Unfortunately this particular case is in Pakistan where having access to a lawyer or doctor is of no value, where human life itself has no value…….:(