Man claiming to be '11th caliph' in Khanewal held over blasphemy charges

A footage of the man making the claim soon went viral on social media

Police in Khanewal on Monday arrested a man claiming to be a pir (faith healer) and put him behind bars on the charges of blasphemy.

The arrest was made after a video of the fake cleric went viral on social media platforms. A first information report (FIR) registered in this connection stated that the man had claimed to be the 11th caliph of Islam, at a gathering in Sadiqabad area of the district.


The FIR further quoted the man as saying that his 'arrival' had been predicted by saints of the past, and went on to add that the prime minister and army chief should pledge allegiance to him.



Police have started an investigation into the matter, ascertaining if the man had committed blasphemy or was suffering from a mental disorder.

In June last year, Islamabad police arrested a fake pir (faith healer) for defrauding a widow of around Rs10 million which he had taken for “legal services, exorcism and investment”.

The woman in her complaint had cited several other occasions when the pir had taken money from her, the overall amount coming to Rs10,932,000.