Pakistani police search for Christian charged with blasphemy

Islamabad: Pakistani police say they are searching for a Christian man facing blasphemy charges after a Muslim friend accused him of insulting Islam with a poem on WhatsApp.

Yasir Bashir said Nadeem James had sent him a poem on the messaging app that was derogatory about the Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] and other holy figures.

“Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home,” a local law enforcement official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

Another police official said that James’ relatives had been taken into “protective custody” and that there was increased security in Christian neighbourhoods in the town of Sara-i-Almgeer, around 160 kilometres north of Lahore, because of local tension arising from Bashir’s complaint.

Local police official Mohammad Asim said Tuesday that the accused is on the run.

Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone accused of insulting Islam can be sentenced to death. However, the laws are often misused to settle personal scores and target minorities.

Such allegations can trigger beatings and mob violence in the conservative country, which has strict blasphemy laws including the death penalty for insulting the prophet.

Rights campaigners say blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal disputes in the Muslim-majority country.