Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has directed the Punjab Police inspector general to submit a report into the alleged brainwashing of a man by a “faith healer” in Lahore. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took notice of the case on an application filed by Mohammad Salman Shakeel’s father in the Human Rights Cell of the Supreme Court. Qazi Shakeeluddin stated in the application that a pir (faith healer) named Sufi Khurram and his disciple Rizwan had brainwashed his son, leading to him abandoning his family. He urged the court to order the authorities to recover his son and take action against Sufi Khurram and Rizwan as per the law. Taking notice of the application, the director of the SC’s Human Rights Cell wrote a letter to the Punjab Police IG earlier this week, directing him to submit a report of the case within 15 days. According to the father, Salman was introduced to Sufi Khurram by a friend he met at the local mosque while studying for his BCom degree. Salman started spending his evenings and eventually staying over at Sufi Khurram’s dera (camp), he said. A year later, in an apparent first sign of his radicalisation, Salman started wearing shalwar kameez to college and grew out his hair. Salman then took admission in the MA programme at the University of Central Punjab, only to quit less than a month later citing the “presence of female students” in his class. Salman devoted his next five years in service of Sufi Khurram, forgoing his studies and prospects of a job. He eventually started living away and would visit his family home for only a few hours every day. Shakeeluddin alleged that Sufi Khurram had managed to separate several young men from their families and was exploiting them for his ‘faith healing’ business. Later, although Salman moved with his family to Islamabad after reportedly developing differences with the faith healer, he soon returned to Lahore upon being called repeatedly by Sufi Khurram. The father alleged that the faith healer had been holding his son “hostage” for the past 10 years and instilled in him hatred against various sects. He urged the authorities to recover his son and take action against groups spreading sectarianism.

Published in Daily Times, November 5^th 2017.