Blasphemy: Florida pastors charged in Pakistan | Burning Quran is a form of international terrorism, says petitioner

The complainant contended in his petition that “he visited the bar room of the district bar association Jhang along with his colleagues. He visited websites YouTube, Facebook, Google and found that the Holy Quran had been burnt by Pastor Wayne Sapp on the order of Terry Jones in a Florida Church on March 20, 2011.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Shams Islam | February 28, 2012

The petitioner contends that by burning the Quran, the accused defiled the name of Prophets including Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), Abraham (PBUH), Moses (PBUH), Jesus (PBUH) among others.

JHANG: Following a blasphemy case being registered against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Cultural Editor of Danish Newspaper Fleming Rose, another blasphemy case has been registered at the Kotwali police station in Jhang against websites and Florida Pastors Terry Jones and Wayne Sapp.

An FIR No.234/12 was registered on the order of the Jhang  Session Judge Arshad Masood, acting on the application of Advocate Aamir Mehmood Shakir Noal. The fresh case charge social media websites Facebook, YouTube, search engine Google, along with Terry Jones of State of Florida Church, Pastor Wayne Sapp, Florida Church and President Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for using derogatory remarks with respect to the Holy Prophets (Peace be Upon Them).

The advocate had in his application termed the derogatory remarks as war among Muslims and non-Muslims and a kind of international terrorism.

The complainant contended in his petition that “he visited the bar room of the district bar association Jhang along with his colleagues. He visited websites YouTube, Facebook, Google and found that the Holy Quran had been burnt by Pastor Wayne Sapp on the order of Terry Jones in a Florida Church on March 20, 2011.”

“The burning was carried out by Pastor Wayne Sapp under the supervision of Terry Jones who last September drew sweeping condemnation over this plan to ignite a pile of Quran pages on the anniversary of 9/11” Noal contended.

The event was presented as a trial of book (Holy Quran) while the Quran was found guilty and then ‘executed’.

The jury deliberated for about eight minutes. The Holy Quran had been soaking for an hour in kerosene, before it was put on a tray in the centre of the Church and Pastor Sapp set it alight with a barbeque lighter.

“The book Holy Quran was burnt for around 10 minutes while some on lookers posed for photos,” Noal said.

He added that he saw the video of the incident along with his colleagues including Advocate Mehtab Ahmad and Advocate Niaz Ahmad Ranjha on above mentioned websites.

Noal claimed that by burning the Quran, the name of Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH) including along with the names of other prophets such as Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) (PBUH), Hazrat Musa (Moses) (PBUH) and Hazrat Essa (Jesus) (PBUH) were defiled.

“They are guilty of offence of blasphemy under sections 295-A, 295-B and 295-C. The act of the accused falls within the territory of Pakistan. Due to such mischief, I along with all Muslims felt great anger and it also trespasses against the Muslim world. Try to create war among Muslims and non-Muslims. Moreover, it is a kind of international terrorism,” the advocate asserted.

The petitioner claimed that the accused can be persecuted through Cameron Munter, the Ambassador of US based in Islamabad.


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