New Delhi: A 49-year-old blind Christian man in Lahore has been arrested and charged under Pakistan’s most severe blasphemy statute, after a Muslim coworker accused him of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, an allegation his family says is fabricated and rooted in harassment and extortion.
Nadeem Masih, who has been visually impaired since childhood and walks with an iron rod in his leg, earned a small income by weighing goods for vendors at Model Town Park, according to a report by Christian Daily International–Morning Star News.
According to his mother, 80-year-old Martha Yousaf, Masih had long been targeted by some Muslim staff at the park, including parking contractor Waqas Mazhar, who allegedly mocked him, stole his money, and refused to repay loans.
“Sometimes kind-hearted visitors gave him extra due to his disability, but they would snatch it from his pocket,” she said tearfully. “They tortured him and then falsely accused him.”
Masih was reportedly prevented from working on August 21 and then dragged to Model Town Police Station, where officers booked him under Section 295-C of the Penal Code—an offence punishable by death. Yousaf said police beat her son and forced him to “confess.”
Masih’s lawyer, Javed Sahotra, said the case “rests on glaring contradictions.” Police claim to have received information about the supposed blasphemy at 11 p.m., yet the park closes at 9 p.m., he noted. Masih had also called a police helpline at 6 a.m. seeking protection from alleged extortion attempts that same day.
“In case the trial court does not grant bail, we will petition the Lahore High Court,” Sahotra said, calling the blind man’s treatment “inhumane.”
The National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) condemned the arrest, saying Masih has endured poverty, disability and discrimination, only to now face “injustice and human indifference.”
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly warned that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are used to settle personal scores, target minorities and grab property.
Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, which first reported the incident, noted that police often fail to protect the accused or punish attackers.
“This is a victim of cruelty and a flawed system,” the NCJP added, as Christian Daily International-Morning Star News again emphasised growing misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan.
(IANS)
