http://www.christianpost.com/article/20090915/report-pakistani-christian-youth-accused-of-blasphemy-killed-in-jail/index.html
Robert Danish, a Pakistani Christian youth jailed for allegedly desecrating Quran was found dead inside prison on Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m in Sialkot, Punjab province.
“The authorities said he committed suicide, but we believe he was killed by Muslim police officials,” one of the relatives of the Christian youth was quoted as saying by Pakistan Christian Post (PCP).
What has surprised Christians and the family of Robert is that he was killed in a special security zone of Sialkot Central Jail on Saturday, reported PCP.
Robert Danish, also known as Falish Masih was arrested by police on 11 September after Mohammad Asghar Ali, resident of village Jhethey Key lodged a complaint against him. Mohammad Asghar Ali, the village barber accused Robert Danish of pushing his daughter Hina Ali on the way, letting her drop the Quran in side-drain, thus desecrating the holy book of Muslim. It happened when Hina, who is also rumoured to have an affair Robert was coming home after Quran recitation.
PCP said Hina's father, Asghar Ali complained in FIR with police that Robert Danish took the Quran from the hand of his daughter and threw it in a drain and a case under blasphemy was registered.
Earlier, the Muslims of the village also accused Robert Danish of having an affair with Hina and threatening to kill him if he will not leave her, that may have prompted the girl’s father to implicate him, the report said.
Friends of Robert Danish told PCP that because of the situation there was rumour involving Robert in blasphemy case from months, that has finally happened when he was arrested.
Robert was produced before local magistrate on 11 September itself and sent to judicial custody in Sialkot Central Jail where he was killed on Saturday morning, according to the family of the Christian youth.
PCP said Mr. Riasat Masih, father of Robert Danish has refused to perform funeral of his son until killers are arrested, the report said.
Talking to the PCP, the family members said they do not believe in suicide theory of jail authorities. They said, “Robert was not a coward who presents himself in Police Station when police detained his father.
“Muslim jail officers are involved in his killing” one of Robert Danish’s relatives told PCP.
PCP said there is widespread anger among Christians in Pakistan after news of killing of Robert Danish in jail custody. Christians of Sialkot have announced to observe two days strike and mourning on killing of Christian youth, it said.
The incident was conspired by local Muslim clerics who hoisted banners with slogans “Kill the blasphemers” on Wazirabad-Sialkot road in Sambarial after incident of Gojra where Muslim burnt alive Christians on August 1, the report said.
The village Jhethe Key is some of 20 km from Sialkot and in jurisdiction of Sambarial sub-district of Punjab province where 30 Christian families are living with 100 hundred Muslim families over a century with religious harmony until the recent allegation of blasphemy had happened, the report said.
Pakistan is under great pressure from Christians and the international community after 8 Christians were burnt to death in Gojra town in Punjab province on an alleged desecration of Quran, the holy book of Muslims on Aug. 1, dozens of Christian homes were also burnt. It was the repetition of the incident in a Christian village of Korian on 29 July where over 100 Christian homes were also burnt.
Christians have demanded that the blasphemy law be repealed; they said the law has often been used to settle personal scores against them and other religious minorities.
According to Pakistan Penal code “Use of derogatory remarks, etc in respect of the Holy Prophet; whoever by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.”
Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC) said it is strongly condemning killing of Robert Danish and has demanded the arrest of the killers; and justice be brought for Robert’s family.
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