Mob attacks man in Chitral accused of making 'blasphemous remarks'
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What is blasphemy?
bananarepublic
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Chitral: Ulema, law enforcers save mentally-disturbed ‘blasphemer’ from mob justice
Chitral: Religious leaders, especially the khateeb of Shahi Masjid Chitral, Maulana Khaliquz Zaman, and the law enforcement agencies led by Col Nizamuddin Shah of Chitral Scouts on Friday played a positive and timely role in controlling a mob that wanted to burn alive a mentally disturbed man for allegedly making blasphemous remarks.
As the news of the incident spread like a jungle fire, panic gripped the whole valley of Chitral. Though religious leaders and Ulema played a very constructed role, there were some elements who tried to ignite sectarian tension in Chitral.
Eyewitnesses said Rashid Ahmed, the alleged blasphemer from the Rech village of Torkhow valley in upper Chitral, earlier worked in Qatar from where he was sent home by his friends after he developed some mental health issues. On Friday, he was in the Chitral town on way to Peshawar accompanied by his brother for the treatment of his mental illness when he went to the mosque and uttered the blasphemous remarks.
Inside the mosque, he started a speech and said that he had received divine revelation and was a prophet too. When some people charged towards him, the khateeb of the mosque stopped them saying he was mentally disturbed.
The man was then handed over to the police. Eyewitnesses said after the police took him inside the police station located near the mosque, angry people, including seminary students, started arriving outside.
They asked the police to hand over the alleged blasphemer to them but the police refused. When the mob tried to enter the police lines the police baton charged them and also used tear gas shells pushing them to the parade ground.
As the crowd started swelling, the local administration called the Chitral Scouts and the army to maintain order as a majority of police personnel from the Chitral town had been sent to Qaqlasht for security duty of the annual festival underway there.
Chitral Scouts Commandant Col Nizamuddin Shah, Deputy Commissioner Shahab Hamid Yousafzai and other authorities reached the spot. The Chitral Scouts commandant pleaded to the people to disperse saying the alleged blasphemer would not be handed over to the crowd and would be tried under the blasphemy law. The crowds continued trying to enter the police lines and going back to the parade ground till in the night. During the period they twice attacked the police station and slightly damaged the premises.
When contacted, DC Yousafzai told ChitralToday on Friday night that after successful negotiations Ulema had persuaded the the crowd to disperse but some people in groups were still present in different pockets in the area who would also go away soon.
The DC said an FIR had been registered against the alleged blasphemer and a copy of the FIR provided to the Ulema. He said the alleged blasphemer would be proceeded against under the law of the land.
Meanwhile, some people coming from Qaqlasht in upper Chitral were stopped by the police when they reached Koghuzi. They were coming to Chitral after the four-day annual festival was cancelled on the second day of the event to avoid any untoward incident.
Published in ChitralToday on April 22, 2017. (Zar Alam Khan)
Chitral: Religious leaders, especially the khateeb of Shahi Masjid Chitral, Maulana Khaliquz Zaman, and the law enforcement agencies led by Col Nizamuddin Shah of Chitral Scouts on Friday played a positive and timely role in controlling a mob that wanted to burn alive a mentally disturbed man for allegedly making blasphemous remarks.
As the news of the incident spread like a jungle fire, panic gripped the whole valley of Chitral. Though religious leaders and Ulema played a very constructed role, there were some elements who tried to ignite sectarian tension in Chitral.
Eyewitnesses said Rashid Ahmed, the alleged blasphemer from the Rech village of Torkhow valley in upper Chitral, earlier worked in Qatar from where he was sent home by his friends after he developed some mental health issues. On Friday, he was in the Chitral town on way to Peshawar accompanied by his brother for the treatment of his mental illness when he went to the mosque and uttered the blasphemous remarks.
Inside the mosque, he started a speech and said that he had received divine revelation and was a prophet too. When some people charged towards him, the khateeb of the mosque stopped them saying he was mentally disturbed.
The man was then handed over to the police. Eyewitnesses said after the police took him inside the police station located near the mosque, angry people, including seminary students, started arriving outside.
They asked the police to hand over the alleged blasphemer to them but the police refused. When the mob tried to enter the police lines the police baton charged them and also used tear gas shells pushing them to the parade ground.
As the crowd started swelling, the local administration called the Chitral Scouts and the army to maintain order as a majority of police personnel from the Chitral town had been sent to Qaqlasht for security duty of the annual festival underway there.
Chitral Scouts Commandant Col Nizamuddin Shah, Deputy Commissioner Shahab Hamid Yousafzai and other authorities reached the spot. The Chitral Scouts commandant pleaded to the people to disperse saying the alleged blasphemer would not be handed over to the crowd and would be tried under the blasphemy law. The crowds continued trying to enter the police lines and going back to the parade ground till in the night. During the period they twice attacked the police station and slightly damaged the premises.
When contacted, DC Yousafzai told ChitralToday on Friday night that after successful negotiations Ulema had persuaded the the crowd to disperse but some people in groups were still present in different pockets in the area who would also go away soon.
The DC said an FIR had been registered against the alleged blasphemer and a copy of the FIR provided to the Ulema. He said the alleged blasphemer would be proceeded against under the law of the land.
Meanwhile, some people coming from Qaqlasht in upper Chitral were stopped by the police when they reached Koghuzi. They were coming to Chitral after the four-day annual festival was cancelled on the second day of the event to avoid any untoward incident.
Published in ChitralToday on April 22, 2017. (Zar Alam Khan)
M. Sarmad
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Religion had hitherto been (mis)used to justify evil human instincts (torture, murder etc.) as the will/command of Allah/God... Duniya badal gayi, Jahalat k din khatam hoyay, magar kuch laug aisay hain jo bazid hain k qarun e wusta k rasm o riwaj aur mazhabi ifkar ko kisi bhi surat nahi badla ja sakta. Yah laug waqt k sath badalnay ko tayyar hain na zamanay k sath chalnay ko. BadKismati se hamaray haan aisay laug aksariat mein hain.
Kambojaric
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And anyone who raises a voice of sanity is immediately guilt tripped into being a "munafiq". Let the show go on I assume.
AKD
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Terrorism??
patman
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A mob attacked a man and beat him brutally inside a mosque in Chitral after he was accused of uttering blasphemous remarks following Friday prayers.
The man, who is yet to be identified, is alleged to have pushed the imam of the mosque to allow him to speak after jummah prayers, a local present at the site told DawnNews. Eyewitnesses claim the man then uttered 'blasphemous remarks' amidst the prayer gathering.
As worshippers started beating the man, the mosque's imam, fearing for the man's life, handed him over to the police.
Police took the man to the local police station for his protection. They said they were trying to ascertain the man's mental health.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against the man over charges of blasphemy and terrorism, Deputy Commissioner Chitral Shahab Yousafzai told DawnNews.
"The situation is under control now," Yousafzai said, adding that police is investigating the case.
"At the moment, I am not in a position to comment on the mental health of the man," Yousafzai said. “A team of doctors will file a detail report about his mental health,” he said.
Mob reaches police station
Soon after the accused was shifted, the mob attacked and broke into the police station amid aerial firing and heavy tear gas shelling from the police. The firing resulted in power outages nearby as transmission lines were damaged by bullets.
The situation remained volatile, police said, while they attempted to cool the mob down and restore peace in the area.
The Frontier Constabulary also reached the police station to assist with maintaining law and order, a police official said, adding that "3,000 to 4,000 people" were still present outside the police station.
The district administration has called a meeting of the local ulema and officials to discuss the incident.
'Rule of law should prevail'
The incident comes days after a vigilante mob lynched 23-year-old Mardan university student Mashal Khan over allegations of blasphemy.
The brutal lynching, which occurred inside the premises of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, had invited unanimous condemnation from the National Assembly.
Lawmakers and religious scholars alike repeatedly stressed after the Mashal case that mobs cannot be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
The also stressed that even if someone was accused of blasphemy, police should be allowed to follow due process and the case should be decided only in a court of law.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan had been particularly critical of the incident, describing it as "the law of the jungle".
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a strongly-worded condemnation of the incident two days later.
"The state will never tolerate those who take the law in their own hands," the premier had warned.
An investigation into Mashal’s murder is on-going and arrests are being made.
The man, who is yet to be identified, is alleged to have pushed the imam of the mosque to allow him to speak after jummah prayers, a local present at the site told DawnNews. Eyewitnesses claim the man then uttered 'blasphemous remarks' amidst the prayer gathering.
As worshippers started beating the man, the mosque's imam, fearing for the man's life, handed him over to the police.
Police took the man to the local police station for his protection. They said they were trying to ascertain the man's mental health.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against the man over charges of blasphemy and terrorism, Deputy Commissioner Chitral Shahab Yousafzai told DawnNews.
"The situation is under control now," Yousafzai said, adding that police is investigating the case.
"At the moment, I am not in a position to comment on the mental health of the man," Yousafzai said. “A team of doctors will file a detail report about his mental health,” he said.
Mob reaches police station
Soon after the accused was shifted, the mob attacked and broke into the police station amid aerial firing and heavy tear gas shelling from the police. The firing resulted in power outages nearby as transmission lines were damaged by bullets.
The situation remained volatile, police said, while they attempted to cool the mob down and restore peace in the area.
The Frontier Constabulary also reached the police station to assist with maintaining law and order, a police official said, adding that "3,000 to 4,000 people" were still present outside the police station.
The district administration has called a meeting of the local ulema and officials to discuss the incident.
'Rule of law should prevail'
The incident comes days after a vigilante mob lynched 23-year-old Mardan university student Mashal Khan over allegations of blasphemy.
The brutal lynching, which occurred inside the premises of Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, had invited unanimous condemnation from the National Assembly.
Lawmakers and religious scholars alike repeatedly stressed after the Mashal case that mobs cannot be allowed to take the law into their own hands.
The also stressed that even if someone was accused of blasphemy, police should be allowed to follow due process and the case should be decided only in a court of law.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan had been particularly critical of the incident, describing it as "the law of the jungle".
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif issued a strongly-worded condemnation of the incident two days later.
"The state will never tolerate those who take the law in their own hands," the premier had warned.
An investigation into Mashal’s murder is on-going and arrests are being made.
HAIDER
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CHITRAL: It was the chilly morning of April 20 when Anwaruddin left native Rech village for Chitral city.
His destination was Peshawar, where he was to take the mentally-challenged elder brother, Rashiduddin, to a psychiatrist for the examination of deteriorating mental condition.
The two left Rech village located high in the Hindu Kush Mountains at a distance of around 150 kilometers from Chitral in a rickety jeep and reached the city several hours later.
They lodged in Room No 19 of a Shahi Masjid Road luxury hotel with a plan to leave for Peshawar on April 22 (Saturday).
However, the way events unfolded the next day was like a bolt from the blue for Mr Anwaruddin and his brother.
Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine what happened on Friday.
Read more: Mob attacks man in Chitral accused of making 'blasphemous remarks'
Chitral’s Anwaruddin says won’t mourn brother’s execution if doctors find his mental condition to be sound
During the Friday sermon at the Shahi Masjid when Anwar was in toilet, mentally-challenged Rashiduddin stepped out of the hotel and walked for a minute to be among worshippers.
He later went to the prayer leader and uttered some words infuriating hundreds of people present in the mosque.
Several people lunged towards him. However, prayer leader Maulana Khaleequz Zaman stopped them saying the person was mentally unstable, and handed him over to the police. The police station is just across the Parade Ground situated right in front of the Shahi Masjid located on the right bank of the River Chitral.
However, the die was cast as a mob gathered after the worshippers emerged from the mosque and walked up to the police station to demand the custody of the man.
As the mob continued to swell, it grew more and more violent and tried to attack the police station. The police responded with teargas shelling and thus causing rioting, which continued until late night.
The usually tranquil city turned into a battleground between protesters and police witnessing the use of teargas for the first time in its recent history. The very next day, the police shifted Rashiduddin to Swat. He is now in Haripur jail facing the charge of blasphemy. His brother, Anwaruddin, is in the protective custody of the police in Chitral.
Read more: 150 held for rioting as Chitral returns to normalcy
Anwaruddin, an economics graduate from the University of Peshawar, says Rashiduddin born in 1986 was the eldest among four brothers and two sisters and that he went to Rawalpindi to work as a labourer in 2006 after passing his matriculation examination from a village school.
“He (Rashiduddin) went to Qatar in 2008 where he was employed as mason with a major construction company, Consolidated Construction Company,” he said, adding that his elder brother used to visit home after two years.
He said Rashiduddin earned handsome money during the first six years of foreign stay alleviating their poverty and raising their living standard, while in 2012, he married one of his relatives hailing from the adjacent Khot village.
“The mental health of my brother started breaking down soon after he returned to Qatar from the village by the end of 2014.
Read more: Anti-terrorism court seeks mental health report of man accused of blasphemy in Chitral
“He gave up writing letters to us that was the only mode of communication in those days. We were later informed by the company that he was admitted to a Qatar-based hospital for the treatment of mental ailment. He remained there for two months before returning in May 2016.
“I found my brother to be a totally different person when I received him upon arrival at the Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar,” he said.
Mr Anwaruddin said his brother remained calm and composed and preferred to remain all alone after his return to the village.
He said Rashid turned fierce and violent whenever they talked about his health and wanted to take him to Peshawar for treatment and during the past 10 months in home, his condition was on deterioration constantly.
“In the beginning of this month, we decided to take him to Peshawar and also succeeded in persuading him for the treatment. We reached Chitral city April 20 where we stayed in a hotel and were scheduled to proceed to Peshawar April 22.”
Mr Anwaruddin said he began searching for his deranged brother in houses and shops of some of his relatives in the town but found him in the police station with a multitude of furious people outside calling for his public beheading over blasphemy charge.
He appreciated the mosque’s prayer leader and Chitral police for prompt action and said had that not happened, his brother would have been lynched like a Mardan university student over blasphemy charge.
“We would be first to condemn Rashiduddin for his utterances and even won’t mourn his death sentence and execution if doctors declare his mental condition to be sound,” he said.
Read Dawn's editorial on the Chitral mob attack here.
Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2017
His destination was Peshawar, where he was to take the mentally-challenged elder brother, Rashiduddin, to a psychiatrist for the examination of deteriorating mental condition.
The two left Rech village located high in the Hindu Kush Mountains at a distance of around 150 kilometers from Chitral in a rickety jeep and reached the city several hours later.
They lodged in Room No 19 of a Shahi Masjid Road luxury hotel with a plan to leave for Peshawar on April 22 (Saturday).
However, the way events unfolded the next day was like a bolt from the blue for Mr Anwaruddin and his brother.
Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine what happened on Friday.
Read more: Mob attacks man in Chitral accused of making 'blasphemous remarks'
Chitral’s Anwaruddin says won’t mourn brother’s execution if doctors find his mental condition to be sound
During the Friday sermon at the Shahi Masjid when Anwar was in toilet, mentally-challenged Rashiduddin stepped out of the hotel and walked for a minute to be among worshippers.
He later went to the prayer leader and uttered some words infuriating hundreds of people present in the mosque.
Several people lunged towards him. However, prayer leader Maulana Khaleequz Zaman stopped them saying the person was mentally unstable, and handed him over to the police. The police station is just across the Parade Ground situated right in front of the Shahi Masjid located on the right bank of the River Chitral.
However, the die was cast as a mob gathered after the worshippers emerged from the mosque and walked up to the police station to demand the custody of the man.
As the mob continued to swell, it grew more and more violent and tried to attack the police station. The police responded with teargas shelling and thus causing rioting, which continued until late night.
The usually tranquil city turned into a battleground between protesters and police witnessing the use of teargas for the first time in its recent history. The very next day, the police shifted Rashiduddin to Swat. He is now in Haripur jail facing the charge of blasphemy. His brother, Anwaruddin, is in the protective custody of the police in Chitral.
Read more: 150 held for rioting as Chitral returns to normalcy
Anwaruddin, an economics graduate from the University of Peshawar, says Rashiduddin born in 1986 was the eldest among four brothers and two sisters and that he went to Rawalpindi to work as a labourer in 2006 after passing his matriculation examination from a village school.
“He (Rashiduddin) went to Qatar in 2008 where he was employed as mason with a major construction company, Consolidated Construction Company,” he said, adding that his elder brother used to visit home after two years.
He said Rashiduddin earned handsome money during the first six years of foreign stay alleviating their poverty and raising their living standard, while in 2012, he married one of his relatives hailing from the adjacent Khot village.
“The mental health of my brother started breaking down soon after he returned to Qatar from the village by the end of 2014.
Read more: Anti-terrorism court seeks mental health report of man accused of blasphemy in Chitral
“He gave up writing letters to us that was the only mode of communication in those days. We were later informed by the company that he was admitted to a Qatar-based hospital for the treatment of mental ailment. He remained there for two months before returning in May 2016.
“I found my brother to be a totally different person when I received him upon arrival at the Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar,” he said.
Mr Anwaruddin said his brother remained calm and composed and preferred to remain all alone after his return to the village.
He said Rashid turned fierce and violent whenever they talked about his health and wanted to take him to Peshawar for treatment and during the past 10 months in home, his condition was on deterioration constantly.
“In the beginning of this month, we decided to take him to Peshawar and also succeeded in persuading him for the treatment. We reached Chitral city April 20 where we stayed in a hotel and were scheduled to proceed to Peshawar April 22.”
Mr Anwaruddin said he began searching for his deranged brother in houses and shops of some of his relatives in the town but found him in the police station with a multitude of furious people outside calling for his public beheading over blasphemy charge.
He appreciated the mosque’s prayer leader and Chitral police for prompt action and said had that not happened, his brother would have been lynched like a Mardan university student over blasphemy charge.
“We would be first to condemn Rashiduddin for his utterances and even won’t mourn his death sentence and execution if doctors declare his mental condition to be sound,” he said.
Read Dawn's editorial on the Chitral mob attack here.
Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2017
HAIDER
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Mob don't want to leave even mentally handicap .... jahiliat on peak .. But Maulana sahib played very wise role and he deserve appreciation ...
Divergent
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I think Masjids/Madrasahs/Schools with Islamic teachings and curriculums need to educate people on 'Blasphemy' and to be more tolerant and coexist. They need to promote peace and how to encounter incidents, having it reported and move on.
Nobody on earth can undo the God-Given Status to The Leader of Faith nor by saying wrong things does it affect an atom of their Status. Infact its a test of Faith for people really.
They also need to be educated on how to deal with mentally ill people and that they need help, learn to ignore etc
Nobody on earth can undo the God-Given Status to The Leader of Faith nor by saying wrong things does it affect an atom of their Status. Infact its a test of Faith for people really.
They also need to be educated on how to deal with mentally ill people and that they need help, learn to ignore etc
HAIDER
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Agreed... people need intensive training and those who abuse this law should be persecuted to set an example. Otherwise .............
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AZADPAKISTAN2009
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A joint comission will be formed to look into the matter, and someone will take notice, and write a chalan
One day
One day
bananarepublic
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Pictorial – Chitral Town wears deserted look as section 144 is imposed to maintain law and order
Chitral: The Chitral district administration has imposed section 144 in Chitral town, banning assembly of more than two people for ‘lawful or unlawful’ purposes, said a letter shared with the media. The action has been taken in view of the unrest spread after a mentally unstable people entered a Masjid and allegedly committed blasphemy.
The streets of the bustling town wore a deserted look, as anxious shopkeepers stayed indoors. Contingents of Pakistan Army have been deployed in the city to assist the administration in maintenance of law and order.
A case has been registered against the alleged blasphemer and investigation is underway.
Community leaders from all sections of the society have called for calm.
Security personnel guarding a street
Random checking of pedestrians
The road is deserted
The burnt car of Shahi Masjid’s Khateeb who saved the life of the deranged alleged blasphemer. The Imam’s car was burnt by the mob because they were infuriated for not getting hold of the alleged blasphemer
http://pamirtimes.net/2017/04/22/pi...ion-144-is-imposed-to-maintain-law-and-order/
Chitral: The Chitral district administration has imposed section 144 in Chitral town, banning assembly of more than two people for ‘lawful or unlawful’ purposes, said a letter shared with the media. The action has been taken in view of the unrest spread after a mentally unstable people entered a Masjid and allegedly committed blasphemy.
The streets of the bustling town wore a deserted look, as anxious shopkeepers stayed indoors. Contingents of Pakistan Army have been deployed in the city to assist the administration in maintenance of law and order.
A case has been registered against the alleged blasphemer and investigation is underway.
Community leaders from all sections of the society have called for calm.
Security personnel guarding a street
Random checking of pedestrians
The road is deserted
The burnt car of Shahi Masjid’s Khateeb who saved the life of the deranged alleged blasphemer. The Imam’s car was burnt by the mob because they were infuriated for not getting hold of the alleged blasphemer
http://pamirtimes.net/2017/04/22/pi...ion-144-is-imposed-to-maintain-law-and-order/
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