Fanish denied burial in hometown

SIALKOT, Sept 16: Simmering with avenge and anguish, the residents of Jaithikey-Sambrial, aided by the police, did not let an alleged blasphemer be buried with peace in his native town on Wednesday and the heirs took the body to a cemetery on Mudassar Shaheed Road in Sialkot for memorial services and burial. Also, the police have registered a case under Section 319 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against the jail superintendent and other officials for their negligence in duty.

Robert, alias Fanish Masih, arrested on Saturday by the Sambrial police for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran was found dead inside his jail cell on Tuesday.

Police officials claimed that the Christians were not allowed to bury Fanish in his native village in a bid to avert any eventuality or communal violence in the troubled village Jaithikey-Sambrial. The memorial service of Fanish was held at the ground of CT Christian High School in Sialkot, attended by hundreds of the Christians, including members of the National Assembly Dr Nelson Azeem and Akram Gill and Punjab Minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael.

Earlier, mourners staged a sit-in on Kashmir Road by placing the body in the middle of the road and chanted anti-government slogans. Protesters also ransacked some nearby shops. The police resorted to baton charge besides using tear gas to disperse the procession, and 11 people, including Sohan Lal, Bashir Masih, Javaid Allah Ditta, Samuel Masih, Emanuel Masih and Pitras Masih, were injured in the skirmishes.

The mourners demanded registration of a murder case against the officials of the Sialkot District Jail for allegedly torturing Fanish to death. The police said nine Christians were arrested for creating the law and order situation.

The police were well prepared to face any untoward situation and a police contingent was called in from the entire Gujranwala division to be deployed in Jaithikey and Sialkot city.

Following strong protests by the Christians, Civil Lines police registered a case under Section 319 of the PPC against the jail superintendent and other officials for their negligence in their duty.

Earlier, on Tuesday night hundreds of Christians blocked traffic on main Kashmir Road, Paris Road, Kutchery Road, Abbott Road and Mudassar Shaheed Road. They ransacked 13 shops along the roads and forced the shopkeepers to close their businesses.

They also hurled stones on public transport vehicles and broke wind screens and windowpanes of several motors.

TENSION: The village is still under the grip of tension. The Christians, who had fled their houses after the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran by some Christians on Sept 11 and ensuing communal violence, could not return to the village.

The police had arrested Fanish for the desecration on Saturday and the court sent him to jail on a 14-day judicial remand on Monday. On Tuesday, Jail Superintendent Ishtiaq Lodhi claimed that Fanish, being kept in solitary confinement, had committed ‘suicide’ in his cell.

But his relatives and members of the Christian community refused to accept the jail authorities’ claims and alleged that he was tortured to death.

Punjab Minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael, Father Emanuel Yousaf Mani, special director of Aman Organisation, MPA Khalil Tahir Sindhu and Riasat Masih, father of Fanish, addressed a press conference at Sialkot DCO office and condemned the violence in Sialkot.

Mr Mani urged the government to review the blasphemy law. He said 947 people, all non-Muslims, had been killed since the promulgation of the Blasphemy Law.

(Dawn)