Case update: Relatives released after ‘blasphemer’ is arrested

Two women and an infant had been detained on July 10

LAHORE: Serai Alamgir police have arrested a Christian man on charge of blasphemy, after allegedly illegally detaining some members of his family for four days.

An FIR had been registered against Nadeem James, a resident of Yaqubabad, on July 10 under Section 295-C (blasphemy) and 298-A (derogatory remarks about companions and family members of the Holy Prophet) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Yasir Bashir, a resident of Mohalla Majidabad.

James’s neighbours said that the police had detained his two sisters-in-law and an infant soon after registering the FIR. Khalid Shehzad, president of Muttahida Masihi Party, told The Express Tribune that when he contacted police about this, he was told that the women and the child were held in protective custody.

“They said the women been detained for their safety,” he said. “The real reason they detained the women was that they wanted to pressure James’s family. They also took Amir James, brother of a pastor, into custody,” he said.

He said community leaders had sought James out and handed him over to police. He said the allegations against James were baseless. “He is being victimised because he married a Muslim woman, who chose him freely.”

He said the woman had been baptised before her marriage. He said since then, Yasir Bashir, the complainant, had held a grudge against Nadeem.

“He has moved a baseless complaint against Nadeem and is pressuring the police,” he said. “The pastor’s brother was detained because he [the pastor] baptised the girl.” He said the police had not provided them a copy of the FIR.

Gujrat police public relations officer Attique Ahmed told The Express Tribune that the women had been taken into custody for their safety.

“We took them to the police station fearing a breakdown of law and order after a complaint was registered against James,” he said. He said that they had been released after James was arrested.

Sub Inspector Muhammad Aslam, investigation officer in the case at Serai Alamgir City police station, told The Express Tribune the complainant had claimed that he had received blasphemous text from James on Whatsapp. He said the complaint was being investigated.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2016.