AGI – A new tragedy linked to the blasphemy laws has occurred in recent days in Pakistan, where cases of lynching at the hands of the mob and perpetrated in the name of religion are becoming increasingly frequent with government impunity and the silence of the international community. The latest episode of a series of systematic attacks – writes the Asianews agency – occurred on the night of 20 June in Swat; the victim is called Mohammad Ismail and was in the area on holiday when he was attacked and burned alive with the accusation of having burned pages of the Koran.
An emblematic story, proving that in Pakistan there is no “strong” state capable of guaranteeing security. On the other hand, power groups prevail whose violent ideology contributes to fueling the spiral of innocent victims: Mashal Khan, Shama and Shahzad, Priyantha Kumara, Nazir Masih and Mohammad Ismail. Added to this long list in recent hours was Allah Rakhi, wife of the 72-year-old Christian Nazir Masih, who died from the consequences of the trauma suffered in the attack in which her husband died.
Dozens of cases of lynching at the hands of the crowd, behind which there are false and specious accusations of blasphemy, a rule that since 1987 has been used to settle personal affairs, revenge and extrajudicial murders or to target religious minorities, from Christians to Ahmadis. Muhammad Ismail had been accused of blasphemy for burning some Arabic-language newspapers and arrested by the police.
An angry crowd stormed the Madyan Swat barracks ordering the officers to hand over the man to be executed on the spot. When he refused, a group of people broke in and, after injuring some policemen and damaging the structure, took him from his cell and then lynched him and burned him alive while shouting extremist slogans. Aamir Kakkazai, writer and researcher, explains to AsiaNews that “Pakistan is transforming into a barbaric state. Unfortunately the state authorities remain silent and seem to be confused about the whole affair”. Or, worse, they show that they are “afraid” or “not interested in solving the problem of religious extremism”.
“Islamic fundamentalists and the right-wing political parties in Pakistan – he continues – have always tried to convert this democratic and modern country into a barbaric state, where an atmosphere of intolerance, violence and punishment of ordinary people in the name of religion reigns”. And behind this violence, concludes, who have transformed “our society into an extermination camp” there would be “the misuse of blasphemy laws” fueling a climate of “total anarchy and chaos”. Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), adds that the accusation of blasphemy against innocent people has reached such a level that “no one is safe anymoreas anyone can be accused by anyone in any part of Pakistan.”
“In the Swat valley – he explains – not only will tourism be affected, but the pressure from radicals will increase. The silence on these issues is an encouragement for accusers and aggressors”. Also on June 20th, another controversial episode took place linked to the blasphemy laws. In Kaanpur, in the Sialkot district, Waseem Masih (Christian) had started a small business with an imam of the local village mosque on the occasion of the Eid holiday, investing 15 thousand rupees as an advance given to the Islamic cleric.
The latter took possession of the money by deceiving him and, when asked to return the money, announced over the loudspeaker of the mosque that Waseem had committed blasphemy. The villagers gathered and tried to capture him, but he managed to escape from the village and is now hiding in a safe place. However, among Christian families they are in fear and fear of being attacked, which is why they have started to evacuate their homes.
