A CHRISTIAN and his 18-year-old daughter have been charged with blasphemy under Article 295 B of the Pakistan Penal Code after they were threatened with death by gangs of marauding Muslims.
The authorities allege that Gulsher Masih, and his daughter, Sandal, tore pages from the Koran on October 9 in the village of Tehsil Chak Jhumra, in Faisalabad district.
Indian Muslims protest over a report in 2005 that a Koran had been desecrated in Guantanamo Bay. The report turned out to be false.
Muslims walking past the Gulsher home said they saw Sandal and her father tear some pages from the Koran and throw them into the street. The rumour quickly spread to the village mosques, and an enraged mob, including people from neighboring villages, marched through the village calling for the death of the “blasphemers”, according to Spero News.
Deputy Inspector Faryad said that once the mob was at the Gulsher home they began stoning the building, striking doors and windows with sticks.
They also stoned a nearby Protestant church.
What is it with Muslims and their penchant for for stoning things?
Police took the entire Gulsher family into custody for their “own protection,” he added. “Vans full of Muslims were driving to the village but were stopped by police.”
Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian lawmaker and chairman of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), insists that the charge is a total fabrication. For him “there is no direct evidence and the police has not investigated the case.”
Reporters went to the village to investigate the affair a day after the incident and spoke to various Muslims about it, finding that people have different versions of the “blasphemous” act.
One, Ghulam Ghaus, a Muslim, said that three Christian children from 10 to 12 years of age, including a son of the Gulshers, stole a Koran from a local mosque. They tore outsome pages to play with and then left them on the ground where they were found.
Eventually someone accused Sandal and her father, and local Muslims immediately went on the warpath.
Information collected by the Minorities Concern of Pakistan show that between January to October 2008, about 23 people have been accused of blasphemy against Islam.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
November 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Haven’t you ever borrowed a book from a library only to find that some delinquent has torn a page out from it? Well then, you’ll know how upsetting it can be. Perhaps it was a mob of enraged librarians?
November 7th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Yeah, right, I’m sure Christians in a country full of stone-happy Muslims are going to tear up a Koran in the street. That’s exactly what you’d expect non-Muslims to do. Also they would be inclined to eat Muslim babies. In public. With fava beans and a nice Chianti.
November 7th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Just a minute! I have noticed that one of the corners of a page of my copy of ‘The Hobbit’ has been FOLDED. SOMEONE’S GOING TO PAY!!
November 7th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Why is everyone so mean to the nice Muslims. They only want to be understood. I would be angry if someone tore pages out of my favorite fantasy book too. I feel so sad for them everyday. It seems I always see them sad and upset at something. Usually because someone is being mean to them. Let’s leave the pleasant, loving warm Muslims alone and they will be happy again.
Did that come out right?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Whilst here in the UK muslims can say what they like about xtians, jews, atheists and anyone who isn’t a barking mad muslim like them; set fire to flags and bomb buses and trains. And what does our appeasing, capitulating spineless government do……nothing apart from saying how nice and peaceful islam is.
I suggest that in the interest of fairness, equality and diversity bollocks all bibles, korans, religious books, astrology books and other similar rubbish is put in a big pile and burnt.
November 8th, 2008 at 3:39 am
The scenario the muslims present sounds like vicious lie, a feeble excuse to attack the unbelievers.
One wonders what would they would have done if, instead of tearing out the pages, children had drawn pictures of pigs.
November 15th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Angela K:
There are plenty of barking mad Christians, Jews – as you will have noticed from this very blog. And even atheists, come to that. Nothing special about Muslims in that respect.
Government policy on religious extremism is confused, but it is also confused to think that Muslims (or anyone else) is “free” to say (let alone do) what they like.
There are people locked up without trial in this country because of the nature of their religio-political beliefs.
And Samina Malik was convicted under terrorism legislation for writing dodgy violent extremist ‘poems’.
Dan