Despite innocent verdict, blasphemy accused shot dead by maulvi complainant

After years in prison, 80-year old Iqbal Butt was on his way home when he was shot dead by Maulvi Waqas.

LAHORE: An elderly man, recently released from prison after acquittal by the court on proving innocent in a blasphemy case, was shot dead by the complainant in the Farooqabad area of Sheikhupura.

80-year-old Iqbal Butt was on his way home on a motorcycle rikshaw when he was shot dead when the accuser Maulvi Waqas and an unidentified accomplice chased him on a motorcycle and opened fire, resulting in his death.

Javed Butt, stepson of Iqbal Butt said the Maulvi Waqas accused his father of blasphemy just to settle score with him after they exchanged some harsh words during an argument earlier on. The accused put pressure on police through protest of clerics and succeeded in registering a case against Iqbal, added Javed.

After the case was registered, the police arrested Iqbal and he was jailed but on December 30, 2011 he was honourably acquitted due to lack of evidence.

SHO PS city Farooqabad, Inspector Muhammad Idrees, while talking to The Express Tribune said that the deceased was found innocent during the course of investigation. He said that after conducting investigations, even the Ulema's committee had declared him innocent. Both reports were submitted, after which the court had acquitted Iqbal.

“The complainant Maulvi Waqas, a Khateeb of a local Mosque, was unhappy with the acquittal and he along with an unknown accomplice shot Iqbal Butt,” the Investigation Officer (IO) Sub Inspector Javed Mehmood said.

A case has been registered against Waqas and his unknown accomplice but no arrests have been made as yet. According to police, raids are being conducted to find the accused.