Death for man on blasphemy charge

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 6. A sessions court of Lahore has sentenced a Muslim to death on charges of blasphemy subject to approval by the High Court.

The charge against the accused, Mr. Yusuf Ali, was that he had sought to project himself as `Prophet of the God'.

There has been a great deal of controversy in Pakistan on certain provisions of the blasphemy law with the critics arguing that it could be misused particularly against the minorities.

In response to persistent demands from the non- governmental organisations, the military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, announced in April changes in the procedure for registration of blasphemy cases but had to withdraw the order in the face of stiff resistance from religious parties and organisations. Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code that deals with the blasphemy law says ``whoever by words, either spoken or written by visible representation or by any innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly defiles the sacred name of Holy Prophet (PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable for fine.''

In the present case, the accused was charged with having claimed to be the `prophet of god' and bestowed with `Vahee' (Messages from Almighty).

Mr. Yusuf Ali has been accused of cheating several people by posing as Prophet.

A former army officer, Mr. Ali, was a cult figure among his followers who believed that he had extraordinary powers.

He was arrested three years ago on a complaint and the judgment pronounced on Saturday was the culmination of a trail that took over three years.

According to a report in the English daily, The News, the capital punishment awarded by the Lahore Sessions Court is the second one involving a Muslim.

The earlier case pertained to Mumammad Arshad Javad in 1989.

The charge against him was he had claimed to be prophet of god in front of a group that was protesting against Mr. Salman Rushdie's book, Satanic Verses.

He was also accused of endorsing Mr. Rushdie's book.

He was awarded death sentence by a sessions court in Lahore but the High Court set aside the judgment after he was certified as an insane person.

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Section  : International
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