Liverpool, UK: Mr. Saleem Khursheed Khokher former member of parliament Sindh Pakistan and presently Director of Christians’ True Spirit – CTS UK chapter condemned the alleged accusation of blasphemy against two Christian nurses in Punjab.

On April 9, 2021, Muhammad Waqas, a male staff (ward boy) of District Head Quarter (DHQ) Hospital Faisalabad attacked Mariam Lal (a senior staff nurse) with a knife and made her injured when she was attending patients in the Fatima Ward. This brutal incident got attention by the people around and also the Medical Superintendent (MS) of the Hospital. During the inquiry by the hospital management ward boy said that Mariam Lal and Newish Arooj (a nursing student) are blasphemers.

The incident occurred due to a personal grudge of Rukhsana the head staff against Mariam Lal, She instigated the hospital staff to attack Mariam by telling a blasphemy story. She blamed that Mariam and Newish disgraced the Quran verse sticker by scratching it out from the cupboard in the hospital ward.

The hospital management informed the local Police immediately for security and peace while the people become aggressive against the Christian nurses after learning the matter. Police reached the spot and took both nurses in the custody on 9th April 2021. Later a case FIR no. 347/21, an offense under section 295-B of Pakistan Penal Code was registered in the Civil Lines Police Station, Faisalabad on the complaint of Dr. Muhammad Ali.

Mr. Khokher through Christians’ True Spirit – CTS urge that the Pakistani authorities must take notice of such fake incidents and learn from the previous incidents of blasphemy in Gojra city Faisalabad, village Korean, and Joseph Colony when not only the victims but their families as well as the local Christians suffered and faced persecution. I want to remind a recent case registered in January 2021 in Karachi, a same-natured blasphemy case by a Muslim senior staff nurse who alleged Tabita Gill (a Christian nurse) for blasphemy just for having revenge. I strongly mention that there is nothing to do with blasphemy but only personal interests behind it. Therefore Pakistan should amend the blasphemy laws, the accused should be punished and serious legal action must be taken against the false complaint too.

The government should also take legal notice against Muhammad Waqas for harassment, inhuman act, violent attack, and open life threat to Mariam Lal and Newish Arooj.

We demand a fair investigation of the case and justice for Mariam Lal and Newish Arooj.