Charsadda police have arrested a man named Bahadur on charges of blasphemy, following allegations of desecrating Quranic verses. The incident occurred in the Wardaga area, where Bahadur worked as a manager at a local petrol pump.
According to a police officer from the Sar Dheri police station, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the incident stemmed from a dispute between Bahadur and the petrol pump's owner.
The controversy began when Bahadur placed a picture of Imran Khan on a wall in the pump's office, among frames containing Quranic verses and sacred words. The pump's owner reportedly instructed Bahadur to remove the picture, but when Bahadur refused, the owner took down the picture himself, leading to a heated exchange.
In retaliation, Bahadur allegedly removed and threw down the frames containing the Quranic verses, leading to the blasphemy accusation. The police, acting on a complaint filed by the petrol pump owner, arrested Bahadur and registered a case against him under Sections 295-A and 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deal with blasphemy and acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
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Charsadda District Police Officer (DPO) Masood Bangash took notice of the incident and confirmed that the accused was arrested the previous night. Bahadur was subsequently sent to jail by court order.
In a statement, DPO Bangash urged the public to remain calm and trust the legal process, assuring that the accused would be punished according to the law. He emphasized that desecrating Quranic verses is a grave offense in Pakistan and that all resources would be employed to ensure justice.
The issue of blasphemy is highly sensitive in Pakistan, where accusations have historically led to mob violence and killings. The recent incident in Charsadda comes at a time when religious freedom in Pakistan has been under international scrutiny. A report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published in June highlighted concerns about the state of religious freedom in the country, noting that 16 people were killed and 329 were accused of blasphemy in 2023.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, responded to the report by calling it "largely flawed and unsubstantiated," asserting that every individual in Pakistan enjoys religious freedom.
