Chitral cleric dubbed hero for saving blasphemy suspect

Maulana Khaliqul Zaman says he was only doing his duty as an imam and not looking for awards

PESHAWAR: Two weeks ago, a cleric in Swabi refused to lead Mashal Khan’s funeral prayers because of blasphemy allegations and told villagers to stay away too. On April 21, however, another cleric miles away in Chitral became the true image of Islam’s message of peace and tolerance when he saved another man accused of blasphemy.

Maulana Khaliqul Zaman, the imam of Shahi Masjid in Chitral, came into the limelight last week when he protected a man, accused of making blasphemous remarks, from a mob and handed him to the police, saving him from being lynched to death.

A mob of worshippers beat up RK*, who is believed to be mentally ill, on April 21, after he allegedly made blasphemous remarks during the Friday sermon. Fearing bloodshed, Zaman called the police and handed RK to them before the mob killed him.

https://twitter.com/Tabesch/status/855504963426021377

Thumbs up for Khatib of Shahi Masjid, Who saved the man from mob and informed police immediately. #Chitral @ZarrarKhuhro @Xadeejournalist

— Shahid Afzal (@shahidazl) April 21, 2017

Zaman believes he was only doing his duty as the mosque imam by handing the man into police custody for protection.

“I didn’t do it for any award, this is what Islam teaches us,” said Zaman in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune over the phone. “Islam doesn’t allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.”



The people of Chitral are peaceful and have no wish to disturb law and order, said Zaman. “It was only a few people who became very provoked,” he added.

When asked if he had received any threats from locals for what he did, the imam said he had not and people had instead been praising him for doing a good deed.

“I am just content that I saved the mosque from bloodshed,” he said proudly, adding that it was the ulemas’ duty to impart the true teachings of Islam to the masses.

Speaking about what Islam teaches about dealing with someone who denounces religion, Zaman said, Islam urges clerics to keep preaching to such people to try to bring them back into the fold.

He condemned the brutal murder of Abdul Wali Khan University’s student, Mashal Khan, who was mercilessly lynched and then shot by a mob of his fellow students on campus in Mardan, following blasphemy allegations, on April 13, almost a week before the Chitral incident.

“Islam does to not teach such brutality,” said Zaman.

He criticised the media, particularly foreign media, for defaming Islamic clerics worldwide by portraying them as intolerant.

“Islamic clerics have always preached tolerance and played a positive role in shaping society,” he said.



Speaking about the investigation of the blasphemy case against RK, Zaman said he had fulfilled his responsibility as an imam, now it was the police’s duty to complete the legal proceedings.

“If the police asks me to record my statement, I will submit it,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Section 144 has been imposed in Chitral since last week, banning the gathering of four or more people. Tensions rose in the city last Friday, after a mob of hundreds of people tried to break into the police station where RK was being held.

Police had to resort to tear gas and shelling to disperse the crowd, while the district administration also called in the Frontier Corps to control the situation.

The accused was produced before a judicial magistrate on April 22 where he rejected all the allegations levelled against him. The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) then ordered the formation of a medical board to examine his mental condition and submit a report within two days.

*Name have been withheld to protect identity