Pakistan: How the Blasphemy case was fabricated against the two brothers

Unknown gunmen were waiting outside the courtroom as it was obvious that the brothers would be released due to lack of evidence, however certain groups following this case did not want justice for the Emmanuel brothers.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Intl'l Desk
Source & Credit: Pakistan Christian Telivision
By PCTV Newsdesk | July 21, 2010

A neighbour and friend of the two brothers brutally murdered outside the court has revealed how the Blasphemy case was fabricated against the two brothers.

A neighbour and friend of the two brothers brutally murdered outside the court has revealed how the Blasphemy case was fabricated against the two brothers.

Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid Masih Emmanuel would regularly visit an Internet cafe (which was owned by a local Jeweler), one particular day as they completed their work they forgot to logout of their account. As soon as the left, the cafe owner curiously went through their email account and found an email sent by the brothers to someone abroad.
Upon reading their email, the owner was in a rage and immediately with a few friends plotted to frame the brothers under Pakistan's controversial Blasphemy law. Since this law has been passed hundreds of Christians in Pakistan are subjected to false charges for land disputes, business competitive jealousy and other domestic issues for the accuser's personal gain taking advantage of the Blasphemy laws loopholes and 'difficult-to-get-out-of' accusation which is mostly backed by radical and extremist groups.

The law 295 forbids damaging or defiling a place of worship or a sacred object.

295-A forbids outraging religious feelings.
295-B forbids defiling the Quran.
295-C forbids defaming Prophet Muhammed. Except for 295-C, the provisions of 295 require that an offence be a consequence of the accused's intent. Defiling the Quran merits imprisonment for life. Defaming Prophet Muhammed merits death with or without a fine. If a charge is laid under 295-C, the trial must take place in a Court of Session with a Muslim judge presiding.

Unknown gunmen were waiting outside the courtroom as it was obvious that the brothers would be released due to lack of evidence, however certain groups following this case did not want justice for the Emmanuel brothers.

The cafe owner, while reading the emails of the brothers found one last email that read 'we have converted upto 20 muslims to Christianity', upon reading this the cafe owner printed a pamphlet containing blasphemous content written against Islam and the Prophet along with the mobile numbers of the brothers and distributed it in the city throwing them in place such as madrassas, mosques and in front of homes of influential people.

On 2nd July the brothers were arrested with a little known group 'Tehrik-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool' interfering and taking charge of this case, since the 4th of July tensions have been high among the Christian community of Faisalabad who were aware that a plot to attack them was underway. Some Christian and Muslim families of the neighbourhood had chosen to move sensing criminal motives.

With the Gojra incident still fresh in their minds the residents prepared to defend themselves and many Christians from nearby villages and districts had come to support their community well armed.

After the murders of the Emmanuel brothers, Christians attacked a madrassa injuring many, then youth from 3 other madrassas came to fight and were given a tough time by brave Christian youth who did not back out.

Soon it turned into a battlefield with firing from both sides and 2 to 3 muslims were injured in this cross fire.

At around 10pm, announcements were made from mosques in Daoodnagar asking people to come out to attack Christians. The Christian youth defended their community and properties well otherwise it would have turned out to be another Gojra had the Christians not been prepared for the pre-planned attack.

Muslims tried to attack and damage Christian owned properties but the youth protected their places of worship and did not surrender to the attackers which resulted in the muslim youth running away.

The battle lasted for hours and then the Rangers and Police took charge of the neighbourhoods maintaining position in every street corner imposing a Section 144 and protests and all sorts of rallies have been banned in the district by District Coordination Office Nasim Sadiq.

Tensions and warnings by 'Tehrik-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool' have been high since weeks, however police did not intervene or pay attention to the incident, rangers and police came in after the murder and after the attacks.

Police were also deployed at churches and around residential colonies of the minority community.
A total of 10 injured have been reported so far.

IG Punjab Tariq Saleem Dogar has suspended SP investigation Faisalabad Muhammad Hanif and DSP Civil Lines Ashiq Jutt on grounds of not providing adequate security to the Emmanuel brothers.

The Lahore High Court is taking suo motu notice of the incident called a hearing in this regard.

At the moment there is calm but peace is not set in, a compromise has been made to end the attacks however one wonders how long the Blasphemy law will hang over the minorities like a guillotine.



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