Thursday, December 4, 2014

Pakistan: Gunmen target lawyer defending blasphemy accused

Gormani had been appointed defence lawyer in the case after gunmen shot dead Rashid Rehman, a defence counsel for Junaid Hafeez in May.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Pakistan
By AFP | December 3, 2014

[Update] In a message to Ahmadiyya Times and apparently to various other news outlets, a person claiming to be connected with Khatam-e Nubuwwat Lawyers' Forum (an extremist group of Islamist lawyers leading the charge of filing blasphemy cases against minorities in Punjab), asserted their credit for the attack on Shahbaz Gormani. The authenticity and credibility of the claimant has not been independently verified by Ahmadiyya Times.

LAHORE: Gunmen opened fire at the residence of a lawyer defending a university lecturer accused of blasphemy and dropped a letter warning him to withdraw from the case, police said Thursday.

Shahbaz Gormani escaped unhurt after gunmen riding motorbikes attacked his residence in Multan late Wednesday.

Gormani had been appointed defence lawyer in the case after gunmen shot dead Rashid Rehman, a defence counsel for Junaid Hafeez in May.

Hafeez, a lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University, was accused of allegedly making derogatory remarks against the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in March last year.

Hafeez was known at the university for his liberal views and the blasphemy case was registered after pressure from right-wing student groups.

“Gunmen riding motorbikes fired indiscriminately outside the residence of Gormani and threw a pamphlet... warning him of serious consequences if he continues to pursue the case,” senior police official Muhammad Salim told AFP.

“We are investigating the incident,” he added.

Another police official Muhammad Akram confirmed the incident.

Gormani told AFP he survived the incident but demanded that the parliament enact laws to protect lawyers representing people accused of blasphemy.



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