Another Blasphemy case has been registered against one Named Ramzan Masih s/o Chiragh Masih in the city sukeheki almost 150 KM away from Lahore under section 295 C, under FIR No. 202/12 PPC by the Islamic group of Sipa Sahaba. In accordance with the fact finding of the Voice team, the victim named Ramzan Masih is a mentally retarded person that is aged about 25years and is the only son of his parents.
Fact Finding Report of The Voice:
The Voice came to know about the Incidence on 09.06.12, a fact finding team comprised of Adv. Aneeqa Maria, Mr. Khurram Akhtar, Mr. Shahid Anthony, and Mr. Gohar went to the place of occurrence and also visited the basti (Town) where the victim and his family was residing. It was the small town that was comprised of almost 80 Christian houses and 180 Muslim houses. The whole town was empty, people left their houses just within few hours of occurrence because the complainants of the case were the maulana (Muslim clerics) The Voice Team met few neighbors that were left in one of the house of the Christian community. The Voice team managed to meet Mr. Manzoor Masih, Mr. Malik Masih, Mst. Hameeda Bibi, Mr. Rizwan and Mr. Shamaun Waris.
Statement of Manzoor Maish
He told the Voice team that Ramzan was a mentally retarded person. He was converted by the Islamist group named Sipa Shahba almost two years ago. He was not in his senses when they converted him and got his thumb impressions, now they have convicted him for Blasphemy because they want to Grab our lands through him that is why they have mentioned many unknown persons in the FIR.
Statement of Hameeda Bibi
She said, we are only eighty houses here and are doing our own work, we are independent and are working hard to survive, these people (Muslims) do not let us live. We are poor but are working hard to survive. On the night of the incidence a mob of Muslim clerics gathered our colony to burn us all because of the Blapshemy Ramzan have committed. Everyone was very scared. We all have small children in our houses and we didn’t know what to do. The Mob surrounded our colony and raised a slogan to burn all the houses, they had torches in their hands and petrol in the cans. We called police and thank God Police arrived just in time. The police distracted their attention from us and we found some time to leave the houses. We left the houses quickly and thus saved our lives. People saved their lives and the lives of their children, Now we all are living in different places of our relatives and our homes are empty like graves. We pray to God not to put us in graves and also to protect the family of Ramzan Masih and his sister who also have small children in her house. We are very scared; I came to my house at this hour to pick up some clothes and personal belongings so that we can stay in the relative’s house. Once this matter is cooled down we will come back to our house.
Chiragh Masih: Chiragh Masih is the father of the victim and The Voice team managed to meet him far away from his house. He told us that the police took him to the police station and demanded to hand over Ramzan or “ they will convict me for the same offence”. I don’t know whether Ramzan did the Blasphemy or not. But Ramzan is a retarded child and he has no sense of good and bad. What can he do to endanger the dignity of Islam? My wife died four years ago and my daughter is married. The Muslims have kept her under observation as well. What can I do except prayers. May God save my son and daughter.
The Voice’s Visit to the police station
After completing the fact finding in the colony the Voice team went to the police station where we met Zafar Iqbal the Reader of the police station. He flatly refused to tell anything about the incidence and told us to wait for the Station house officer (SHO) of the police station. We waited there for almost one hour after that the SHO arrived and we told him the purpose of or visit. He became very angry and scolded us for going in the colony alone because of the security issues. He said that Sipa Sahaba are very strictly following this case and we are already worried about the security of the people living in the colony. What if they attacked you or have you killed for supporting the Victim. He also refused to give us the FIR because they had sealed the FIR and were not allowed to issue that without the permission of the Deputy General of the police. After three days the Voice team managed to get the FIR. The Voice teams helped the family financially and assure them that the justice will be done in proper manner. The Voice is trying to approach the religious authorities so that we may negotiate about the security of whole colony. Moreover we have also met Ramzan in the jail. We hope to get him released soon so that the Medical treatment of the Victim may start.
Advocate Aneeqa M. Akhtar in the police station with the Investigating officer of the case and with the SHO.
Please keep the victim, his family and the efforts of the Voice team in your prayers.