Blasphemy charges: Man gets death sentence in Chitral

Hazrat Ali Shah declared guilty by Additional Sessions judge, fined Rs100,000.

CHITRAL: A man accused of blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was declared guilty and awarded a death sentence along with a fine worth Rs100,000 by Additional Sessions Judge Azhar Ali Khan in Chitral.

According to prosecutors, Hazrat Ali Shah uttered something blasphemous against the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in March 2011 in his village of Barenis, which was testified by many villagers.

Police registered a case under Sections 295 –(a), (b) and (c) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The convicted man allegedly stood on the roof of his house and spoke loudly and inappropriately against the Prophet (pbuh) about one and a half year ago, creating a tense situation in the village, after which police arrested him and lodged a case.

Another blasphemy case in Pakistan saw Aasia Noreen, a Christian woman commonly known as Aasia Bibi, sentenced to death in November 2010.

Her appeal case is still due to be heard in the high court.