Scottish Catholic Observer

An outlawed Islamist extremist group, Jamat-ul-Dawa has begun making death threats against Adnan Masih, who, alongside his family, is now under police protection in Lahore.

Mr Masih was standing in for his brother on October 7 at an eyeglass store, the Diamond Glass, where the latter worked. While there, the Christian clergyman saw a book on a shelf by a Muslim leader who heads the Jamat-ul-Dawa group. He noted errors in the book about the Bible and penned corrections in it. He then left the store.

The next day Abid Mehmood, a colleague of Mr Masih’s brother, filed a complaint against the clergyman at a police station, accusing him of blasphemy (under Article 295, sections A, B and C of the Pakistan Penal Code). When he heard about the complaint against him, Mr Masih denied the accusations.

After being subjected to death threats from Jamat-ul-Dawa and eventually a fatwa (a legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar), fearing for himself and his loved ones, Mr Masih arrived at a local police station last Friday to ask for protection.

“We are scared,” a family member said. “Adnan has not written anything against Islam. He only corrected some things about Jesus Christ.”

Fr Arshed John, from Lahore Diocese, told AsiaNews. “This is the third case of persecution against Christians based on the blasphemy law in just two months.

“I hope the police are able to protect him. I call on everyone, without distinction of religion, to pray for this man and his family.”

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