PakPattan: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) condemned the blasphemy charges on Christian woman Musarrat bibi along with Muslim man, Muhammad Sarmad in tehsil Arif Wala of district PakPattan (Punjab), Pakistan.  Both alleged to burn the Quran's pages in the school where Musarrat Bibi was working as peon and Muhammad Sarmad was working as gardener.

On 19 April 2023, a man named Kashif Nadeem called police as he noticed the mob of people was gathered in front of Government Girls Higher Secondary School at Chak No. 66 EB in Tehsil Arifwala of district PakPattan to attack on both accused. People alleged that on 15 April 2023 both have desecrated the Quran’s pages in school so they have to be punished on the spot.

During the same week of incident, Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) fact findings team went to Arif Wala, met with victim's family, school officials, community, police and enquired that on 15 April 2023 afternoon Musarrat Bibi and Muhammad Sarmad were assigned a duty to clean the store room of school. While they were collecting the old and damaged papers and taking them outside, they were asked by administration to set them on fire.

Younas Masih, brother of Musarrat Bibi and Humaira Younas a wife of Younas Masih shared with HRFP that the accusation of blasphemy on both of them is not in real. Both victims while performed their duty assigned by their headmistress Nasreen Saeed, they just cleaned the area. School officials has stated that there were no holy papers in the trash they burnt. Moreover, Musarrat Bibi and Muhammad Sarmad were unable to read. When they were cleaning the area and burnt the papers the students of school alleged that the papers with Quranic verses has been bunt by Musarrat Bibi and Muhammad Sarmad. Both were arrested and sent to Arifwala jail on 19 April 2023, HRFP added.

Since Younas Masih a brother of Musarrat with local Pastor visited HRFP office and discussed the threats they are facing and their immediate and long term needs, HRFP providing them legal assistance with fulfilling their needs and protective measures. The next hearing in the district and session court of PakPattan is on 12th May 2023.

Musarrat Bibi a widow, mother of 3 daughters, resident of Chak No. 68 EB, have been working in school since her husband Barkat Masih was died few years before. Barkat Masih did a same job of peon in same school that Musarrat got after him.

FIR has registered on 19 April 2023 for falsely accusing both that “Kashif Nadeem was informed that in Government Girls Higher Secondary School Chak No. 66 EB, a Christian woman has defiled the pages of Holy Quran. She with Muhammad Sarmad has committed blasphemy against Holy Quran under section 295B of PPC.”

Naveed Walter President of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said that the allegation of blasphemous act by someone is always dangerous and urgent. The laws have been misused against religious minorities and innocents of any religion even to Muslims that enables and encourages the perpetrators for legal discrimination and persecution on the name of religion, he added. A recent example is of Nigar Alam lynching by a mob accusing for blasphemous remarks in district Mardan during a political rally on 6 May 2023. Before it on 11 February 2023 Waris Ali was murdered in local police station of district Nankana Sahib for defiling Quran. Last year Sifora Bibi was murdered on 29 March 2022 by extremist women in district DeraIsmael khan.

Naveed Walter said, many accused have been burnt or killed on the spot, in the jails or during court trials. In cases of religious minorities, the whole community and individuals becomes affected through the attacking on the minorities’ colonies, burning their homes and attacking their worship places. In such cases, longer trials are common. In Jails the abusing, insulting, discriminations and hating have been seen, HRFP observed in many case studies. He said why there is no legislation or amendments yet to make this faster and easier process to availing justice, he added.

Naveed Walter added that the recent series of violations against minorities is not stopping yet. On 6 May 2023 a Sikh man Paramjit Singh Panjwar has murdered in Lahore. On 12 April 2023 Pervaiz Masih a Christian was shot dead in Turbat. On 31 March 2023 Dayal Singh a Sikh businessman in Peshawar has murdered and a year before Dayal Singh’s cousins Kuljit Singh and Ranjit Singh were murdered in Peshawar. On 30 March 2023 Dr. Birbal Genani a Hindu doctor has murdered in Karachi. On 7 March 2023 Dr. Dharam Dev Rathi has killed in Hyderabad.

Naveed Walter said that the religious minorities are facing no stopping violence in Muslims majority Pakistan. The constitution having gaps between the guarantees of minorities’ rights and the discriminatory laws & practices. Naveed Walter urged to stop the violations and make sure the provision of the equal rights and the freedom to practice their faith, religion and beliefs, he added.