23 years jail, 1.2 million fine for Muslim man for anti-Islam post in Pakistan

A Muslim man has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for posting a blasphemous message on a WhatsApp group in Peshawar on Friday.

Anti-terrorism court sentenced Syed Muhammad Zeeshan for sharing blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group, according to a report in AFP.

The northwest Pakistan court convicted Zeeshan under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act and Anti-Terrorist Act. "Accused Syed Muhammad Zeeshan, son of Syed Zakaullah in custody has been convicted and sentenced after being found guilty", the news agency quoted the =court order. Apart from jail sentence (23 years), he has to pay a fine of 1.2 million rupees ($4,300).

One Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Talagang in Punjab province, had taken the convict to the court two years ago accusing Zeeshan of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group, Saeed's counsel Ibrar Hussain told AFP.

Based on the complaint filed by Saeed, the Federal Investigation Agency had confiscated Zeeshan's cell-phone and its forensic examination proved him guilty.

In Muslim-majority Pakistan, any comments against the Islam or Allah or anything against Quran is considered as blasphemy. It is an extremely sensitive issue in this country as a small rumour can trigger violence.

However, rights organisation have often alleged that this is misused to settle personal issues. More importantly, religious minorities become victims in such cases.

In the last two decades, 774 Muslims and 760 members of various minority religious groups were accused of blasphemy.

Nonetheless, Syed Muhammad Zeeshan still has the right to appeal.

Last year, Islamists laid siege on the house of a Hindu sanitary worker after falsely accusing him of desecrating the Quran. The incident came to light Saddar area of Hyderabad.

The accused identified as Ashok Kumar had a clash with a local shopkeeper named Bilal Abbasi. The latter then lodged a false complaint against the Hindu man for committing blasphemy, according to a report in Opindia.

A large section of mob raised 'Sar Tan Se Juda (beheading)' slogan while calling for the lynching of the Hindu man.