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June 7, 2006

Pakistan: Mentally Ill Man Jailed for Islamic Blasphemy

The Daily Times reports that a man in Pakistan with mental health problems has been placed in custody after desecrating a copy of the Koran. As we reported on May 26, the laws against blasphemy, which were introduced in 1986 by the dictator General Zia ul-Haq, are draconian.

Pakistan's Penal Code, Section 295 B states:

Defiling, etc, of copy of Holy Quran. Whoever will fully defiles, damages or desecrates a copy of the Holy Quran or of an extract therefrom or uses it in any derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose shall be punishable for imprisonment for life.

The man, 38-year old Shehzad Samiullah of Green Town, Karachi, had, according to a neighbour, placed a copy of the Koran on the ground, trod on it and tried to set fire to it.

When locals heard about this event, they went on the rampage and a mob tried to attack Samiullah. The Shah Faisal police arrested him and took him into custody.

A police investigator, Mohammad Amin, said: "His parents came to see him in jail and they say he is abnormal. But they have to produce medical evidence to prove this."

The man's family say he has a history of psychological problems, which have prevented him from marrying. Outside the court, sobbing, Samiullah said: "I don't know what happened to me. I don't know why I did this. I felt like I was instigated by the Devil."

The Human Ricghts Commission of Pakistan (HCRP) has been among human rights groups to criticise Pakistan's blasphemy laws. The chairman of HCRP, Iqbal Haider said: "We keep track of people arrested under this law and have raised the issue with the government several times but it is unable to resist the pressure of the fanatics."

Hopefully, the man's mental condition will be accepted by the authorities as a reason to justify releasing him. Then all he has to do is convince his neighbourhood not to have him lynched. Cases like this only highlight how morally backward Pakistan is.

We often highlight abuses caused by Pakistan's "honor-killing" and in a recent report of honor-killings and honor "mutilations" we reported on the case of Ayesha. She is an 18 year old bride whose nose and lips were mutilated in an "honor attack". The Daily Times carries a report of severe abuse. This is not an honor-attack.

A man in Karachi, who demanded money from his wife Shalin, a nurse, became so enraged that he cut her nose off with scissors and attacked her face and forehead. As I stated, this is not an "honor" attack, but what is it which allows a man to treat his wife with such savagery? Is Islamic culture, which demeans women and reduces them to the level of chattels or "objects", somehow responsible?

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at June 7, 2006 8:13 PM

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