PAKISTAN: the prime minister must intervene for the release of a British Pakistani national who was arrested on charge of blasphemy.
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Mr. Mlan Nawaz sharif
Prime Minister House
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 611
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk or pspm@pmsec.gov.pk
PAKISTAN: the prime minister must intervene for the release of a British Pakistani national who was arrested on charge of blasphemy.
Name of victim: Dr Masood Ahmad. (72) Residence of Lahore, Punjab province
Date of incident: December 15, 2013.
Place of incident: Lahore, Punjab.
I am written to voice my deep concern regarding the arrest of a 72 years old medical practitioner on false charges on blasphemy for reciting the holy Quran.
I am distressed to learn that hate campaign under the law enforcement authorities against religious minority group [is continuing and the fundamentalist religious group have made their own intelligence agencies to trap the persons who are providing medical services to the people. The irony is that the law enforcement agencies believe in such intelligence reports and arrest any person in that basis.
I am informed that Dr. Masood Ahmad (72) is a member of the minority Ahmadi sect, who is declared Non-Muslim under the terms of the country’s constitution and subject to widespread discrimination, violence, and abuse. Dr. Ahmad was arrested from Lahore; Punjab province on 15 December, 2013 after two people from a Muslim fundamentalist group secretly filmed him reading a translation of a verse from the Quran. The accusers posed as a patient at a clinic run by Dr. Ahmad and after receiving medication stayed to ask religious questions. They questioned him about his faith and use mobile phone to secretly record him reading a verse from the Quran
Dr. Ahmad returned to Pakistan in 1982 to open a pharmacy after working in London. His family members fear the country’s strict blasphemy laws are being used to persecute the widower and strip him of his pharmacy. The Muslim fundamentalists are exerting pressure on the provincial government and judges to convict anyone accused of blasphemy. Dr. Ahmad was arrested when a mob, including local clerics, gathered outside a police station demanding that the doctor face charges.
The lawyer has filled 3 different bail application and it is unacceptable that on the one bail application day the fundamentalist occupied the court premises and shouted slogans and threatened the doctor lawyers and judge. On the hearing if two bail application, the lawyers of the victim were absent. Doctor Ahmad is in the prison and there are chances that he would be killed in custody as the religious group are inciting the prisoners to deal with the Ahmadi to change his religion or kill him. They believe that Ahmadis do not have any place in Islam. Religious hardeners claim there is a place in heaven waiting for anyone who murdered a member of the sect.
His clinic has been illegally occupied by a Muslim leader who incited the community to punish an Ahmadi person so as to obtain possession of his properties.
I therefore urge you to institute an immediate inquiry into the blatantly illegal arrest of this innocent man for the sole purpose of seizing his property. The government must take action to release Dr. Ahmad and ensure that his property is returned to him. He should be given protection by the police so that any future harassment is curtailed. Action must be taken against the local police of Lahore who have, once again not followed the law and take action at the behest of fundamentalist who have created their own
intelligence agencies. It is shocking that the government authorities allow the law enforcement agencies to run their own agencies and accept as truthful their reports without verification.
I also urge prime minister to contact the government of Pakistan in order to ensure the immediate release of Dr. Masood Ahmad a British citizen.
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