A Christian family, whose members were accused of blasphemy and fled their home have been informed that their house had been broken into and valuables stolen. Also, some neighbours who had accused them of blasphemy claim that they were mislead and regret jumping the gun.
On January 11, one of the women of the family was accused of blasphemy. Several men had then burst into the family home beaten the woman and her mother up and led them out onto the street with their faces blackened.
Waqas Masih, one of the family members, speaking with The Express Tribune said that some relatives had informed him that their house had been broken into and a washing machine, a mattress, a water tank and some other valuables were missing. The locks on the main gate and other doors had been picked, Masih was told.
Masih said he was shocked about the looting. His relatives, he said, had been reluctant to check up on his house as they thought the Muslims in the locality would consider them to be favouring the ‘blasphemers.’ Masih was able to convince one of the relatives to go to his house and secure the locks on the doors. He wondered how their peaceful neighbours had turned into bitter enemies.
In January, Aqsa Ameen, a Muslim, clashed with her Christian husband, Sunny Sahil’s sister Uzma Bhatti. Bhatti insulted Aqsa and asked her to leave. Next day Aqsa accused Bhatti of blasphemy and local men beat the woman up. A mob gathered and it was only after some onlookers intervened that the family was allowed to leave.
Ghulam Rasool, one of the men who had participated in beating Bhatti up, said that now that they had found out that Aqsa had made up her story he regretted his actions. He said he had no objection to the family returning but now ‘they are just not returning.’
Rasool said he felt bad that he had not verified the allegation. Rasool said it was likely Sahil who had stolen his own family’s belongings.
Nadeem Tahir, a member of the National Peace Council for Inter Faith Harmony said the family might return to their home.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2011.
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@Ajay: Shameful whenever this happens. The story is a little odd though: A MUSLIM WOMAN married to a CHRISTIAN man in Pakistan? And this Muslims woman then has the nerve to draw attention to this? Sounds a little bizarre. I would suggest that the type of Pakistani that would attack a Christian in this way would go much further in reacting to the knowledge that Muslim woman was married to a Christian.