Hindu Teenager arrested in Pakistan’s Sindh for ‘Blasphemy’ after his Sister embraced Islam

August 3, 2018:

The arrested accused had been upset after his teenage sister had embraced Islam a few days ago.

A 19-year-old Hindu boy has been arrested for allegedly posting blasphemous content on social media in Sindh province in Pakistan’s south, a media report said on Wednesday.

The teenager was arrested from Mirpur Khas’ Mirwah Gorchani area in the province on Tuesday after local prayer leader Mohammad Anwar Soomro filed a criminal complaint against him, Dawn newspaper reported.

Soomro alleged that the accused had hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims by posting ‘highly controversial’ posts on his Facebook account starting July 30.

A criminal case was filed against the boy under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code on the orders of Mirpurkhas Senior Superintendent Police Abid Ali Baloch, the paper said.

The Section 295-A PPC deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting a religion or religious beliefs. If found guilty, a person can be jailed up to 10 years. The suspect was sent on a 14-day judicial remand, soon after his arrest.

Section 295-A PPC -  Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting Its religion or religious beliefs: Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the 'religious feelings of any class of the citizens of Pakistan, by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representations insults the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine, or with both.

Advocate Kashif Bajeer, a human rights activist in the area, demanded a thorough probe into the matter.

Residents of Mirwah Gorchani claimed the suspect had been upset after his teenage sister had embraced Islam a few days ago. Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan.

According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.

Majority of Pakistan’s Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with fellow Muslims population.