Visually Impaired Christian Man Faces Death Penalty Over Blasphemy Charges In Pakistan

<p>Lahore, Nov 2 (PTI)&nbsp;A 49-year-old visually impaired Christian man has been arrested for blasphemy charges in the Punjab province of Pakistan, police said on Sunday.&nbsp; Nadeem Masih is accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad, a charge that, if proved, carries the death penalty.&nbsp; “Masih was arrested recently at Model Town Park, Lahore. Police were informed by a parking contractor that Masih insulted the Prophet,” police officer Muhammad Yaqoob said. Masih has been booked under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code.</p>
<p>His counsel Advocate Javed Sahotra said there are major discrepancies in the First Information Report (FIR) that would be challenged in court, and hopefully Masih would get bail.</p>
<p>Talking to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, Sahotra&nbsp;said if the trial court does not grant bail to Masih, he will move the Lahore High Court, which, he said, will surely take these facts into consideration.</p>
<p>Sahotra claimed Masih, who has an iron rod in his right leg, was tortured by police in custody.</p>
<p>Masih’s mother said her son was often harassed by a parking contractor and his accomplices, who, she said, had a money dispute with Masih, which led to the blasphemy allegation against him.&nbsp; She pleaded for her son&rsquo;s release, saying she had already lost one son some years ago, leaving only Masih and her three daughters to provide for the family.</p>
<p>Pakistan&rsquo;s blasphemy laws have been mostly misused to target religious minorities and settle personal and economic disputes.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong><span class=”cf0″>(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)</span></strong></em></p>