Farrukh Mushtaq Gill and his father Mushtaq Gill, have been arrested for blasphemy friday evening from their residence in Gujaranwala. Farrukh is being charged with burning a Quran.
The father of the accused Mushtaq Gill, is an Elder of Presbyterian Church and a teacher at the Christian Technical Training Center in Guranjawala. Farrukh is employed at National Bank of Pakistan. This incident reports back to 2-3 months ago when someone charged Farrukh with desecrating the Quran however the Police did not proceed with the case.
Yesterday in a preplanned move a mob consisting of several clerics and locals pressured the police to arrest both the father and the son, seeing the present situation the police had no other option but to arrest the two men to control and please the mob, Police then assigned several officers in front of Gill's residence and on the roof-top as well to avoid any attacks. Christians residing in Gulzar Colony had moved to their relatives or friends houses in fear of being targeted by angry mobs. One of the residents said "This must be the lamest excuse in Pakistan that a Christian has burnt a Quran, the lawmakers and everyone else too knows it's a fabricated case and no Christian in Pakistan would do this but officials are either bribed or threatened by clerics backed by extremists"
Farrukh Gill was instructed by Church officials in the last incident to resign and search for another job as it could be possible someone was discriminating and targeting him as he was the only Christian employed there. Farrukh reported he has no enmity with anyone but many colleagues were not in favour of a Christian in their midst. However Farrukh had thought the problem was now over.
Yesterday rumors arose of an attack at Christian technical training center but the situation has been calm in the city since yesterday and all reports of attacks have been dismissed as false. Apparently it is claimed some mosques announced the incident and gathered more people however a few Christians claim they heard no such announcements in the area that they reside. Friday is an important prayer for Muslims and it is then that they have the most number of attendees.
The reason behind the false charges against Farrukh are still unknown and whether he is being framed due to discrimination or professional jealousy is unclear, however there seems to be no other motive at present.
Recently the blasphemy cases against Christians are on the rise with Arif Masih of a village near Chak Jhumra, Faisalabad being arrested last week in a fabricated case for property. Most are accused under the controversial blasphemy law of Pakistan for which Christians and many Muslims have protested against, Salman Taseer the outspoken brave Governor of Punjab was assassinated a few months ago over his support of the release of Aasia Bibi an accused of the Blasphemy case. Following Taseer was the assassination of Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian who held the position of Minorities minister and was in support of repealing the Blasphemy law. The 295-c law has many Christians as well as muslims arrested under false cases for personal grudges or enmity and even professional jealously, usually there is no procedural inquiry and without lack of evidence and statements of a few clerics or persons an FIR is registered.
In 2010 the Rashid brothers from Faisalabad, the country's third-largest city were released without lack of evidence by the court. Both brothers had been charged under the blasphemy law for distributing anti-Islam material, Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel were both shot by unknown assailants outside courtroom. The hatred in Pakistan has gradually increased against Christians due to the ignorant actions of Florida's Pastor Terry Jones who burned the Quran and planned the 'Burn a Koran day", Several Church officials had condemned his un-Christian actions and demanded his removal by the Church of America.
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