Minister ‘forcing’ Christian to share property with brothers

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: Provincial Prisons Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor is allegedly pressing a Christian to give a share of his property to his brothers who have converted to Islam and stand charged in two cases,
Daily Times has learnt.

Siddiq Masih – a resident of Christian Colony, Wassan Pura – has lodged an FIR against his brothers – Riaz and Arif, both of whom have converted to Islam. Chaudhry Ghafoor is allegedly pressing him to withdraw the cases against them. In December 2004, Arif and Riaz had made fake documents for the ownership of a 16-marla plot in Christian Colony and sold it for Rs 700,000. The property was originally in Siddiq’s name.

On October 3, 2009, Riaz and Arif accused Siddiq of committing blasphemy. Four days later, they came to Siddiq’s place with a mob, saying they were making a claim for their share of the property as they had donated it to a madrassa. Riaz and Arif also threatened Siddiq with “dire consequences” after he called police.

The same day, Siddiq filed an application against his brothers. On November 6, 2009, Siddiq lodged another FIR against them for beating up his son. Later, Siddiq, Riaz and Arif received a letter from Lahore PML-N Senior Vice President Mirza Javed, saying he had been advised to form a committee to resolve the matter in consultation with Ghafoor.

Meanwhile, Ghafoor told Daily Times he had not pressured anyone for anything. He claimed that Siddiq was “implicating Riaz and Arif in fake cases because they have converted to Islam”.