Akash Karamat, who was arrested on August 27, 2023, is accused under Section 295-C of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which prohibit acts that insult the Prophet Muhammad. He was arrested along with a co-accused, 35-year-old Zamran. Karamat was 17-year-old at the time of his arrest.

According to Karamat’s lawyer, Asad Jamal, three separate cases have been registered against the accused based solely on suspicion.

In July, following multiple hearings over four months, the court confirmed Karamat’s juvenile status, making him the first minor charged under this specific blasphemy law in such a manner.

The defense counsel told Dissent Today that Karamat was not mentioned in the initial complaint and was only implicated weeks later without reasonable grounds for the allegations. The reliance on the complainant’s delayed supplementary statements has led courts to consider the charges weak, per the counsel.

He added that the police had all the records to declare the accused a juvenile from the very beginning, but they didn’t because, in such a case, he would be entitled to the leniency granted to juveniles under the Juvenile Justice System Act, including the right to bail.

Despite qualifying for bail due to his juvenile status, Karamat’s petitions have been denied by the trial court, resulting in his continued detention as his case is now under review by the Lahore High Court.

Karamat’s lawyer stated that his ongoing incarceration violates multiple rights outlined in the Constitution of Pakistan, including the right to liberty, a fair trial, dignity, and freedom from discrimination.

The city of Sargodha, situated in Punjab province, has recently witnessed heightened tension concerning Christian minorities, especially amidst anti-Christian riots in nearby Faisalabad. The timing of Karamat’s accusations coincides with a surge in blasphemy-related violence in the region, including incidents such as the lynching of a Christian man in Jaranwala in 2023.

Prior to his arrest, Karamat was a student, and his family remains committed to his education, having already deposited admission fees for him to continue his studies as a private candidate.

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According to the complaint filed by police constable Zahid Sohail at the Race Course Police Station, 15-year-old Christian boy Simon Nadeem, and his friend 18-year-old Adil Babar allegedly insulted the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He claimed that he heard the boys “committing blasphemy” while playing when he was on his way to a mosque.

18-year-old Adil Babar’s father Babar Masih refuted the police constable’s claims, saying that the police officer had a quarrel with the boys in the afternoon, claiming the boys had insulted him. The neighbourhood elders gathered and stopped the fight, Voicepk reported.

Babar Masih said, however, in the evening the police carried out a raid and arrested the two boys on blasphemy charges, with constable Zahid Sohail as a complainant.

Earlier, an anti-terrorism court transferred the trial of a juvenile arrested on charges of killing an Ahmadi man who was undertrial over blasphemy accusations inside a courtroom, to the Peshawar district and sessions judge.

The transfer was ordered in the light of a recent Peshawar High Court (PHC) judgement, stating that a juvenile accused charged with a terrorism-related offence should be tried by a juvenile court, and not by an anti-terrorism court.

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Cleric Nigar Alam was lyn­ched minutes before the end of a public meeting organised by the PTI at Sawa­ldher village to show solidarity with the judiciary on Saturday evening.

A video of the lynching was widely circulated on social media platforms in which the cleric could be seen lying on the ground.

Initial reports had suggested the man was lynched for saying that “he respects Imran Khan like he respects prophet”. However, later it was confirmed that he had said this regarding a local Nazim present during the rally. His remarks were interpreted by a section of the crowd to be allegedly blasphemous, who attacked him with sticks and stones.

PTI’s official account has not condemned the incident but the party’s social media teams have been attacking journalists who shared initial reports attributing the cleric’s remarks to the PTI chief for “disinformation”.

Social media users have condemned the PTI leaders for staying “silent” over the incident.

A Twitter user tagged former minister PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan and criticised him for staying “silent” over the mob lynching.

But in the same Mardan one of your PTI worker has been lynched and killed while you are silent on this incident. pic.twitter.com/rD6VGpRcad

— binameerzada (@kalal911) May 7, 2023

Meanwhile, another Twitter user claimed that PTI’s official and unofficial have been ordered to not tweet about the Mardan incident so they could distance PTI chief Imran Khan from the incident.

“You wont find a single tweet condemning the incident they just out there to clear Khan’s name out of it,” he said.

PTI’s official and unofficial social media teams are ordered to not tweet about Mardan incident cause PTI workers killed a person accusing them of blasphemy. You wont find a single tweet condemning the incident they just out there to clear Khan’s name out of it.

— Anas Tipu (@teepusahab) May 7, 2023

A social media user also called out the PTI chief for “weaponising blasphemy” to target political opponents in a Twitter thread.

This was promotion for Imran Khan’s 27th May 2022 rally where he waved a fake letter and accused all opposition of treason. He used religion and tried to incite blasphemy brigade in run up to that rally.

Thread on how Niazi has weaponised blasphemy 🧵. pic.twitter.com/BgEDLuAPFQ

— Gulfam Butt (@Khanstitution_) May 7, 2023

Journalist Hamza Azhar Salam criticised Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PTI both for staying silent over the incident.

“Silence from PTI, PMLN & ISPR over the blasphemy lynching in Mardan shows how Pakistan does not have the resolve to deal with religious fanaticism and chooses to ignore mob violence rather than address it,” he said.

Silence from PTI, PMLN & ISPR over the blasphemy lynching in #Mardan shows how #Pakistan does not have the resolve to deal with religious fanaticism and chooses to ignore mob violence rather than address it. We deserve poverty & isolation when we abandon our citizens to mobs.

— Hamza Azhar Salam (@HamzaAzhrSalam) May 7, 2023

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It is unusual for people accused of blasphemy to be granted bail in Pakistan. According to a Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) annual fact sheet, at least 2,120 people had been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2022. In 2022, at least 171 people were accused of committing blasphemy with 65 per cent of the cases being reported from Punjab while 19 per cent being reported from Sindh. Among 171 people, 88 were Muslims, 75 Ahmadis, four Christians, and two Hindus, while the identities of the others could not be ascertained.

The Chinese man working on the Dasu hydropower project was taken into police custody on April 17 after an angry mob gathered outside his office to attack him, for allegedly making blasphemous remarks during a workplace argument.

The engineer allegedly made blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting.

In the previous hearing, the court had ordered the joint investigation team to submit a report and produce eyewitnesses in the next hearing.

During the hearing on April 27, the lawyers representing the Chinese man denied the blasphemy allegations.

The JIT also presented the statements of the Chinese national and accusers to the court, Dawn reported.

The court noted the accusers could not provide evidence supporting their allegations against the accused. The judge also noted the interpreter of the Chinese man, Yasir, whose claims ignited the incident, was 35-40 feet away from the Chinese national. He had assumed that the Chinese man had uttered sacrilegious remarks.

The court ruled that the case was registered on the basis of a misunderstanding.

Granting bail to the Chinese man, the court ruled there was not sufficient evidence to prove the accused had committed blasphemy.

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The Chinese man working on the Dasu hydropower project was taken into police custody on April 17 after an angry mob gathered outside his office to attack him, for allegedly making blasphemous remarks during a workplace argument.

The engineer allegedly made blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting.

The Chinese engineer has denied the accusations levelled against him by his fellow workers. He is currently in 14-day judicial custody.

Dawn reported the court also ordered the JIT to produce witnesses and the accused on April 27.

Headed by additional SP (headquarters) Jamil Ahmad, the JIT didn’t present the Chinese man in the court, citing “security concerns” as the reason.

Judge Sajjad Ahmad Jan directed the JIT to record the statement of the main witness in the case and Chinese-Urdu translator, Yasir Ali, whose claims ignited the incident.

Earlier, Yasir Ali had said that he was “doubtful” of what sacrilegious remarks the foreigner had uttered during police interrogation.

The witnesses could also not attend the hearing, according to their lawyer Mohammad Yusuf, who told the court that his clients were absent as the Karakoram Highway was blocked in the Upper Kohistan district.

The main complainant in the case, Kamila SHO Naseeruddin, produced records in court.

Lawyers Atif Ali Jadoon and Mohammad Arif Masud and the deputy public persecutor appeared in the hearing on behalf of the Chinese man.

Clerics Maulana Attaur Rehman, Maulana Waliullah Tohidi, Maulana Malik Umar, Maulana Abdul Aziz and Abdul Jabbar, who decided to represent Kohistan residents in the case, were also present during the hearing.

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The Chinese man was taken into police custody two days ago after an angry mob gathered outside his office to attack him, for allegedly making blasphemous remarks during a workplace argument.

The engineer was accused of blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting.

People in protest had also blocked the Karakoram Highway, the sole overland road connecting Pakistan to China, as the news of the engineer’s alleged blasphemy spread to neighbouring villages.

The man was produced before an anti-terrorism court late Monday where he denied the blasphemy allegations. The court sent the man to jail on a 14-day judicial remand

During the police investigation, interpreter, Mohammad Yasir, on whose testimony a First Information Report (FIR) was lodged against the Chinese engineer said that he was “doubtful” of what sacrilegious remarks the Chinese man had uttered.

He claimed that labourers who accompanied him during the incident that led to the alleged blasphemy were compelling Yasir to stand firm on his previous stance, Dawn reported.

The arrested Chinese man has denied the blasphemy accusations.

In December 2021, Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, working in Pakistan for 11 years was lynched by a mob over blasphemy allegations.

Kumara was beaten, killed and later set on fire by a mob in Sialkot. An Anti-Terrorism Court awarded death sentences to six convicts.

Blasphemy law is often used in Pakistan to settle personal disputes or target religious minorities.

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The Chinese man was taken into police custody yesterday after an angry mob gathered outside his office to attack him, for allegedly making blasphemous remarks during a workplace argument.

The police had taken the employee of China Gezhouba Group Company into custody “to avert a serious situation”.

The engineer was accused of blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting.

People in protest had also blocked the Karakoram Highway, the sole overland road connecting Pakistan to China, as the news of the engineer’s alleged blasphemy spread to neighbouring villages.

The man was produced before an anti-terrorism court late Monday where he denied the blasphemy allegations. The court sent the man to jail on a 14-day judicial remand, reported US News. 

In December 2021, Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, working in Pakistan for 11 years was lynched by a mob over blasphemy allegations.

Kumara was beaten, killed and later set on fire by a mob in Sialkot. An Anti-Terrorism Court awarded death sentences to six convicts.

Blasphemy law is often misused in Pakistan to settle personal disputes.

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The police had taken the employee of China Gezhouba Group Company into custody “to avert a serious situation” after enraged labourers gathered outside his office apparently with the intent of attacking him for alleged blasphemous remarks.

The engineer was accused of blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting, South China Morning Post reported.

People in protest also blocked the Karakoram Highway, the sole overland road connecting Pakistan to China, as the news of the engineer’s alleged blasphemy spread to neighbouring villages.

Police and paramilitary soldiers had to intervene to save the worker from the enraged mob and it took them four hours to disperse the crowd.

In December 2021, Sri Lankan man, Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana, working in Pakistan for 11 years was lynched by a mob over blasphemy allegations.

Kumara was beaten, killed and later set on fire by a mob in Sialkot. An Anti-Terrorism Court awarded death sentences to six convicts.

Blasphemy law is often misused in Pakistan to settle personal disputes.

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The attacker had previously attacked another Ahmadi man and is known to be violent towards the community.

According to a First Information Report (FIR), the attacker identified as Zubair Anwar attacked lawyer Amir Munir in his chamber with a cleaver. Before attacking, Zubair had referred to the cases filed against the Ahmadi community members the lawyer was defending.

Earlier, the Punjab government had formed “inspection committees” to stop libraries and educational institutions across the Chiniot district from keeping the Holy Quran’s translations published by the community.

In a notification issued by the Office of the Deputy Director (Colleges) making rounds on social media, the district administration formed “inspection committees” in the district which are going to inspect “thoroughly” all libraries and educational institutions to ensure they do not possess translations of the Holy Quran published by Ahmadis.

The committees would also take a certificate from the principals of private and public schools confirming that they do not possess translations of the Holy Quran published by Ahmadis.

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The FIA has directed the filmmaker to appear before the it to “record his version of defense”.

The notice also stated that “in case of non-appearance, it will be assumed that you have nothing to present or state in your defense”.

So FIA just called me to answer why I’m standing against Bol and Faisal lynching program! Wow – chalo app boss it’s good to have it all out in open! They really freak out when I talk? I’m use to this now 😉 @ImaanZHazir @MJibranNasir @AsadAToor https://t.co/QMlCjhCEXb pic.twitter.com/AYxrYt1BlF

— jami azad 🌸 (@Jamiazad1) April 13, 2023

During the said Ramzan transmission, Faysal Qureishi had demanded action against people he thinks are blasphemers in front of several controversial clerics.

One of the regular guest speakers in the transmission is cleric Hanif Qureshi, who inspired Mumtaz Qadri to kill former Punjab governor Salman Taseer in 2011 for opposing Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws. Qadri had claimed after his arrest that he had been inspired to act by a 2010 sermon delivered by Mufti Qureshi in Rawalpindi, in which the cleric branded the likes of Taseer as liable to be killed under Islamic law.

His remarks received widespread condemnation with many social media users calling him out for hatemongering and tagging PEMRA on the clips. However, later religious group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan also spearheaded a campaign supporting the actor and targeting social media users criticising him.

In Pakistan, even allegations of blasphemy can result in mob lynchings– in 2008, three Ahmadis were killed because of incitement to violence during a Geo tv Ramzan transmission hosted by Aamir Liaquat.

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