Police accused of beating up suspect’s wife

Witnesses said his wife Nargis Bibi, a convert from Islam, was beaten while being taken to the police station

LAHORE: Serai Alamgir City police have released the sister, two sisters-in-law, wife and seven other relatives and friends of Nadim Masih, accused of blasphemy, who had been arrested allegedly to force his surrender.

Witnesses said his wife Nargis Bibi, a convert from Islam, was beaten by police while being taken to the police station. Two FIRs were registered against them under Section 212 (giving protection to a criminal) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). According to the FIR 304, Nadeem Masih had been hiding at the house of his brothers. His sister, Shehla; sisters-in-law, Samreen and Najma; Qamrosh, a brother of pastor Qandeel who had baptised Nargis; and Shehbaz Masih and Fariad Masih, brothers of Nadeem, provided the protection. When the police raided the house, they helped him flee.

FIR 303 has been registered against Nargis, Shakeel Ahmed, Jameel Ahmed, Anees Munir and Amir Masih for giving shelter to the accused. The FIRs have been registered on police’s complaints. While they remained in custody the police negotiated Nadim Masih’s arrest with community leaders. Pastor Liaqat from a church in Lahore handed Nadim Masih to police on July 13. He was sent to jail the same day on judicial remand.

Attique Ahmed, a spokesperson for Gujrat police, told The Express Tribune that after the arrest of the blasphemy suspect they had released those held for harbouring him on personal sureties. He denied that they had been arrested illegally. A duty officer at the Serai Alamgir police station told The Express Tribune that Yasir Bashir, the complainant, was arrested a few months ago for drinking liquor. He said an FIR had been registered against him.

Aziz Ahmed, a resident of Father Colony, said Nadim Masih and Yasir Bashir had been friends. Both sold liquor, he said. He said that on Friday there was a threat of an attack on the church by Muslim population in the area. However, he said, police stopped the “hardliners” and ensured that the Christian population remained safe. He said the situation had returned to normal on Friday. He said people had started returning to their houses.

He said many Christian families in Majidabad and adjoining areas, including Father Colony, Khanda Chowk, Rajar, Bijli Ghar and Serai Alamgir City, had abandoned their homes following the registration of the FIR against Nadim Masih. They were now returning to their houses, he said.

A police team was stationed at Nadim Masih’s house on Friday. They said they were there to protect the house which is located in a Muslim majority area. Most of the houses were locked on Friday. Only male members of the families were visible inside at the few houses that were not locked. They said they had sent the women and children away for their safety. Police had registered an FIR against Nadim Masih under Sections 295-C and 298-A of the PPC on July 10.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2016.