Saturday, December 12, 2020
Home Crime Pakistan: Elderly man accused of blasphemy killed inside courtroom, killer says he was ordered...

Pakistan: Elderly man accused of blasphemy killed inside courtroom, killer says he was ordered by the prophet to kill

The deceased, identified as Tahir Ahmed, was accused of 'blasphemy' in 2018 and was lodged in jail. He was killed by his accuser inside a courtroom in full view of lawyers and the judge.

In a brutal incident, an elderly man belonging to the minority Islamic sect of Ahmadiyyas, who was facing a trial for ‘blasphemy’, was shot dead in front of the judge in a local court situated in a high-security zone in Pakistan’s Peshawar city on Wednesday.

According to the reports, Tahir Ahmad Naseem, who was arrested on the charges of blasphemy two years ago, died on the spot in the court of Additional Session Judge Shaukatullah Khan after being shot at. The man on trial was facing charges for ‘insulting’ the Muslim Prophet Muhammad.

A lawyer, who witnessed the incident, said that a case had been registered against the deceased under blasphemy laws. The accused was brought to court from Peshawar Central Jail. In Pakistan, the offences under blasphemy laws attract a maximum punishment, including the death sentence.

“During the hearing of the case, the complainant said that the accused was an Ahmadi and asked him to recite the Kalima-e-Tayyaba,” the lawyer said, adding that the complainant then fired at the elderly man and killed him.

Reportedly, the court is situated in a high-security zone in the cantonment area next to the provincial assembly building, the Peshawar High Court, chief minister’s secretariat and Governor House. It is not clear how the armed attacker managed to get into the court despite the court is situated in such a highly secured area.

Murdered man was US citizen

The deceased man Tahir Ahmed was a US citizen. The USA’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs has condemned the murder and has asked Pakistan to take urgent steps to prevent such incidents.

Muhammad ordered me to kill him, says accused

The police arrested the killer, identified as Khalid Khan. The killer reportedly confessed to the police that he had been ordered to carry out the killing by Muhammad because the accused had belonged to the Ahmadiyya faith.

According to Pakistan police, an FIR was registered against the deceased in 2018. The complainant had stated that the deceased belonged to the Ahmadi community and “befriended him on Facebook” and in subsequent conversations, claimed that he was the “fourteenth Mujaddid”.

“He then invited me to have a discussion with him at a mall in the city where he started talking about his belief,” the complainant had said in the FIR.

The deceased elder man was charged under Section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), Section 295-B (defiling etc. of the Holy Quran), Section 295-C (use of derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad PBUH) and Section 298 (uttering words etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Pakistan’s controversial and stringent blasphemy laws are often misused to settle personal scores.

Who are Ahmadiyyas?

Ahmadiyya Community is a sect of Islam that is often persecuted in Islamic countries because other sects of Muslims believe that the community is not “Muslim enough”. The Islamic sect has around 4 million members, who have faced continuous persecution for decades in Pakistan.

In 1974, Pakistan’s Parliament had declared the Ahmadi community as non-Muslims. They were banned over the issue of its founder, Ghulam Ahmad, calling himself as a prophet. In orthodox Islam, there can be no prophets after Muhammad. A decade later, they were banned from calling themselves Muslims.

They are banned from preaching and from travelling to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage. In Pakistan, around 10 million out of the 220 million population are non-Muslims.

Interestingly, Ahmadiyyas, who are now persecuted by Islamists in Pakistan, were at the forefront of the creation of Pakistan. An Ahmadiyya Unit fought against India in Kashmir in 1947-48. One of the foremost advocates for Pakistan was Muhammad Zafrulla Khan who was an Ahmadiyya. The Lahore Resolution of 1940 was authored by Khan himself. 

  Support Us  

Whether NDTV or 'The Wire', they never have to worry about funds. In name of saving democracy, they get money from various sources. We need your support to fight them. Please contribute whatever you can afford

OpIndia Staffhttps://www.opindia.com
Staff reporter at OpIndia

Related Articles

Trending now

Mainstream media goes overboard in whitewashing Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh’s hate speech against Hindus: Read details

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Saturday distanced himself from the deplorable comments made by his father Yograj Singh.

Kerala: Complaint lodged against a Hijab clad woman for entering a temple in Malappuram district wearing shoes

Malappuram in Kerala has one of the highest concentration of Muslim population and considered a hotbed for Islamist fundamentalism

After massage parlour and ‘gym langar’, video emerges of farmers making pizza, netizens wonder how they can join the ‘protest’

The 'farmers' holding protest against the Modi govt over passing three farm bills seem to be enjoying their free time

Pranab Mukherjee’s last memoir, set to be released in 2021, slams Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi for Congress’ downfall: Details

With book releasing in 2021, 'The Presidential Years' gives us a glimpse of President Pranab Mukherjee at his best," the publication tweeted.

Don’t share ideology: Yuvraj Singh tries to distance himself from father’s anti-Hindu rant but supports ‘Award Wapsi’ nonetheless

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Saturday said that he was 'saddened and upset' by his father Yograj Singh's hate speech

Truth bomb by Rohit Sardana triggers AltNews Islamist apologists, complain to Rahul Kanwal who they think can understand their angst

During a live QandA session with viewers on farmer protests, one Shaukat Ali tried to solicit a reaction from Rohit Sardana.

Recently Popular

Truth bomb by Rohit Sardana triggers AltNews Islamist apologists, complain to Rahul Kanwal who they think can understand their angst

During a live QandA session with viewers on farmer protests, one Shaukat Ali tried to solicit a reaction from Rohit Sardana.

Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh dropped from upcoming movie after he humiliates Hindus during farmer protest: Read details

Recently, videos had gone viral where Yograj Singh was seen making vile, hateful remarks against Hindu women.

Pakistani credit card recovered from Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik, was registered to his address in Mumbai

Trouble mounts for Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik as a credit card registered under name of a Pakistani national was recovered from him

Classified documents reveal Trudeau’s dangerous China policy and how Canada invited Chinese Army to train in ‘cold-weather warfare’

34-page secret document called 'China Files' has been made public that shines the light on Canada and its dangerous policy towards China

Don’t share ideology: Yuvraj Singh tries to distance himself from father’s anti-Hindu rant but supports ‘Award Wapsi’ nonetheless

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Saturday said that he was 'saddened and upset' by his father Yograj Singh's hate speech

“Bengal, here we come”: Republic Media Network announces the launch of its Bengali news channel

Announcing launch of Bengali news channel, Republic TV said it is looking for reporters with experience in Bengali news channels

Woman files case against Palghar Shiv Sena MP, says he has been demanding sexual favours since 2004: Here are the details

A woman who worked at a gas agency owned by the Shiv Sena MP, had accused the Palghar leader of making sexual advances at her

Grooming Jihad: One Azad booked for sexually exploiting and forcing a minor girl to convert to Islam for marriage

This Hardoi case is the fifth FIR registered in Uttar Pradesh ever since the new law against Grooming Jihad has come into force

Protesting ‘farmers’ perform dangerous stunts on tractor, try to mow down police personnel when stopped: Horrific visuals from UP

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, 6 unidentified accused, riding a tractor, tried to run over police personnel on Tuesday

Rajasthan: ACB officer caught taking bribe hours after delivering a speech on the ill-effects of corruption

The DSP of ACP was caught by ACB officials while taking a bribe of Rs 80,000 from a District Transport Officer

One in three farmers in Punjab are absentee landlords, MSPs paid to middleman through DBT: Here is how Punjab farmers play by different rules...

In Punjab, FCI and state agencies procure grains from middleman and deposit MSP through DBT into their account, who in turn pay the farmers

Mainstream media goes overboard in whitewashing Yuvraj Singh’s father Yograj Singh’s hate speech against Hindus: Read details

Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh on Saturday distanced himself from the deplorable comments made by his father Yograj Singh.

1500 vehicles of protesters from Punjab to reach Delhi to replenish the tired demonstrators: Here is what the report says

Reportedly, a convoy of 1,500 vehicles from 1000 villages of Punjab is about to reach the location of the ongoing farmers protest

Kerala: Irked by dog ‘creating trouble’ in his area, one Yusuf ties dog to car and drags her along, arrested for cruelty

The Kerala police have arrested a man named Yusuf in Ernakulam district for tying a dog to his car and dragging it for miles.

Kerala: Complaint lodged against a Hijab clad woman for entering a temple in Malappuram district wearing shoes

Malappuram in Kerala has one of the highest concentration of Muslim population and considered a hotbed for Islamist fundamentalism

Samsung to relocate mobile display plant from China, to invest Rs 4,825 crore in Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh: Details of the deal

Uttar Pradesh cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath approved special incentives to Samsung Display Noida Private Limited

Connect with us

245,563FansLike
495,630FollowersFollow
21,000SubscribersSubscribe