DONATE

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Qaiser Ayub, Held Over Blasphemy Allegation Sent to Jail



Qaiser Ayub is a Pakistani Christian. From what I have been able to decipher is he is an educated man which seems to be relatively rare among the Christian minority of Pakistan.  According to Shamim Masih he has a MA in Computer Science. Apparently back in 2011 on a blog he operated he is accused of writing or depicting the false prophet Mohammed in unflattering terms. In case you have been hiding under a rock that is illegal in Pakistan and the entire Muslim world for that matter. In Pakistan Christians are accused of some kind of illegal blasphemy acts all the time and most often they are falsely accused as a matter of spite by Sunni Muslims.

In the case of Qaiser Ayub who was actually a Pakistan college professor, I have to wonder what the reason was for sticking around Pakistan since 2011 with a blasphemy infraction hanging over his head. At any rate the blasphemy charge caught up with him a few days ago and was arrested in Lahore. Shamim Masih writes that that Sohail Johnson – the Chairman of the Christian organization SLMP is in Qaiser’s corner. In trying to find some background on the incident I also discovered that Sardar Mushtaq Gill – the National Director of the Christian organization Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD) is in Qaiser’s corner.

Pakistani Christian and civil rights organizations too often compete for foreign funding. I pray Qaiser’s case is one in which both the SLMP and the LEAD are working together to combat the blasphemy charge against Qaiser Ayub.

JRH 11/22/14
*******************************
Qaiser Ayub, Held Over Blasphemy Allegation Sent to Jail

By Shamim Masih
Sent: 11/20/2014 9:00 PM

ISLAMABAD: After a week of the burning of Christian couple to death in Kot Radha Kishan, Punjab police have arrested Qaiser Ayub, 40 a blogger, from Lahore over an alleged act of blasphemy. According to the sources, a Christian man, holding a Master’s degree in computer sciences, used a website to make blasphemous remarks. [He was booked under the Pakistan Blasphemy Law.] Sources told that a Christian man was alleged [to use] derogatory language against the Holy Prophet in his blogs.

Mohammad Saeed, complained and filed an application in [the] city Police Station against the accused and [the] case was registered First Investigation Report (FIR) no. 105/11 under section 295-C in PS. Talagan, Dist. Chakwal. The accused went into hiding after the registration of the FIR against him for a couple of years. On 14 November, 2014, Chakwal police arrested him from Lahore and presented him in the court on 15 November in Talagang. According to the police the FIR was registered on June 9, 2011 and the man was arrested after three and half years.

According to police officials, Qaiser is alleged of drawing sketches against Islam on his blogs.
  
According to Sohail Johnson, chairman Sharing Life Ministry Pakistan (SLMP), the family of Qaiser Ayub, his wife Amina Bibi and three children are in safe custody. SLMP will be taking care of his family and his case as well. The organization is arranging legal assistance for his case.

Sources confirmed Jabbar Hussian – SP Rawalpindi range is appointed to investigate the case. Qaiser Ayub is shifted to jail for his judicial investigation. [Again] sources confirmed the Police is trying to hide the secret of the case investigation and requested the media people to keep it in a low profile.

Be Blessed,
Shamim Masih

Diplomatic Correspondent, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, UN, F & S, MOST, CADD & Human Rights Activist

Daily Khabrian – in Urdu (PakBiz.com description – in English) & Channel - 5 (A project of Khabrian Group of papers)

For Americans especially, I have discovered the best way to donate to Shamim Masih is via Western Union sending this LINK to a Western Union agent in Islamabad. Include Shamim’s phone - +92-300-642-4560
__________________________________
Edited by John R. Houk
Text enclosed by brackets are by the Editor.

© Shamim Masih

No comments:

Post a Comment