Blasphemy issue being used to serve vested interests: Khanzada

LAHORE: Anchorperson and senior journalist Shahzeb Khanzada has said that it has become a routine that people use the blasphemy issue and the sacred name of Holy Prophet (PBUH) to serve their vested interests.

Commenting on a report, prepared by the Centre for Research and Security Studies on the blasphemy issue, he said use of religion and blasphemy accusations is a very sensitive issue, as intense religious sentiments are linked with it. But it is being used openly for vested interests, he regretted.

The report says that despite presence of the blasphemy law, 80% allegations in this regard prove to be wrong. The report showed that from 1851 to 1974, only seven incidents of blasphemy took place. During the General Zia era in Pakistan, 80 incidents of sacrilege were reported. But then a floodgate of such cases was opened as more than 5,000 cases of blasphemy were reported from 1984 to 2004. However, the allegation could be proved against only 946 of them.

A local English-language newspaper report said that despite presence of a blasphemy law, extrajudicial killings had been on the rise on the blasphemy charges. The report said that from 1947 to 1987, only two extrajudicial killings took place on blasphemy charges in almost 40 years. But from 1987 to 2014, fifty-seven people were killed extra-judiciously over blasphemy allegations.

The report said that until 1987, only seven people were indicted over blasphemy charge; but from 1987 to 2014, 1335 persons were indicted over the same charge.

According to another report, 31 people were killed for alleged blasphemy without any court verdict, and 15 Muslims were among those killed.

Khanzada said in such a situation nobody is safe. Anybody could be killed anytime after levelling charges of blasphemy. A Christian couple was thrown into a kiln over the charge of blasphemy in Kot Radha Kishan area near Lahore. An entire locality of Christians was set on fire in Lahore over the charge of blasphemy, and in Jhelum, a factory was set ablaze on the same charge.

The state and state institutions appear to be helpless to tackle this sensitive issue. Some time back, a law-enforcement department turned a political issue to a religious issue. A professor was arrested and his case was linked to blasphemous material. However, this charge was not included in the FIR.