Pakistan acquits 115 people who were charged with torching Christian homes

Jardine Malado Monday, January 30, 2017

Azra, 68, looks at her dead pet bird in a cage at her home, which was burnt by a mob two days earlier, in Badami Bagh, Lahore March 11, 2013. | Reuters/Mohsin Raza/File Photo

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has acquitted 115 people who were suspected of burning more than 100 houses of Christians at Joseph Colony in Lahore over blasphemy allegations in 2013.

Judge Chaudhry Muhammad Azam acquitted the suspects on Saturday, saying the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to convict them, Indian Express reported.

Ghulam Murtaza, the defense lawyer, argued during the hearing that the prosecution had not provided a "single evidence" to establish the charges against the suspects, noting that the case had already lingered for more than three years. He asked the court to acquit the suspects given the lack of proof.

A prosecution lawyer disputed Murtaza's claim and argued that the prosecution team had presented enough evidence to convict the suspects.

"This incident not only spread a wave of terrorism in Lahore but also brought a bad to name to Pakistan," the prosecution lawyer stated. The judge, however, sided with the defense and acquitted all the suspects.

The incident stems from allegations that a Christian had made derogatory remarks against the prophet of Islam, Muhammad.

Sawan Masih was accused of blasphemy by his Muslim friend Imran Shahid after they quarreled under the influence of liquor.

On March 8, 2013, thousands of protesters went to the Joseph Colony and set fire to over 125 residential properties, shops, motorcycles, rickshaws and a church after rumors circulated that a Christian had committed blasphemy.

No casualty was reported, but hundreds of Christians were displaced, and a number of people were injured in the clash between the police and the arsonists.

The authorities initially booked more than 1,000 Muslims, and 80 were nominated. The police later arrested the 115 suspects who were acquitted on Saturday.

Sawan, a 26-year-old road sweeper, told the police that the real reason for the blasphemy allegation was a property dispute between him and his friend. He was tried in court and sentenced to death in 2014.

"Both Imran and Sawan are close friends and the former has made the allegation only to settle a personal score because they had quarreled over some petty matter." said Dilawar Masih, whose house and shop were destroyed by the fire.