Khator, Gojra: A 32-year-old Christian woman, Saima, has been charged under Section 295-B of the blasphemy law and arrested by Sadar Police Station following accusations of desecrating the Holy Quran by her Muslim neighbour, Muhammad Haider.

According to the police report, Haider claimed that on August 6, he saw Saima disposing of a bag of waste paper into a plot next to his home. Upon inspecting the bag, he discovered pages of the Holy Quran, including a sapara (chapter) with the name Emma Gill and a phone number written on it. Haider, accompanied by local shopkeeper Hamaad Ali, confronted Saima at her house. He alleges that she responded rudely and used inappropriate language.

The incident has sparked severe tension and unrest in the village of Khator, near Gojra. The allegations surfaced when Haider and his family alerted the local community about the torn Quran pages, quickly mobilizing them against the Christian family. As news of the alleged desecration spread, a large crowd gathered, escalating the situation.

Fearing for her safety, Saima attempted to flee and hide in nearby crop fields but was pursued and tortured by the enraged mob. Upon receiving reports of the incident, the police arrived at the scene, rescued Saima and her family, and took them into custody to protect their lives.

In response to the mob's demands for legal action, the police charged Saima under Section 295-B for allegedly desecrating the holy pages of the Quran. The charged mob, insisting on the registration of a criminal case, blocked roads, further heightening the tension in the area.

Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS-UK, has expressed grave concern over the ongoing misuse of the blasphemy law against Christians in Pakistan. "Allegations against Christians for desecrating the Holy Quran are happening more frequently than ever. Since no one has ever been questioned or brought to justice for levelling false allegations, such attitudes of the courts and silence from the government embolden people to accuse anyone of committing blasphemy over petty matters and take the law into their own hands," Saeed stated.

He emphasized that the government must take these incidents seriously, as they involve the lives of innocent people. Saeed called for appropriate changes to the law to stop the ongoing misuse of the blasphemy law. He urged the government to bring this matter before Parliament and contemplate how to prevent the continued misuse of the blasphemy law to save innocent lives.

"The Pakistani government is responsible for establishing the rule of law and delivering justice to its citizens. Innocent people should not languish in prison for years, as there are several who have been imprisoned for over a decade," Saeed added.

The situation in Khator remains tense as the community awaits a peaceful and just resolution to the incident.