Daily Times

KARACHI: Sanghar police lodged a first information report (FIR) against a shopkeeper and arrested him after the Hindu community protested against the sale of “blasphemous” footwear in the Tando Adam town on Sunday.

The arrest of a Muslim on charge of desecration of a Hindu sacred word is rare in Pakistan.

A couple of days ago pictures of shoes inscribed with the Hindu sacred word “Om” started circulating on the social media. Hindu groups protested against this act and demanded that the government take action against the shopkeeper selling the shoes. As a result, Sanghar police arrested shopkeeper Jahanzeb after registration of an FIR (124/2016) against him under Section 295A of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The desecration law is part of the Pakistan Penal Code, which was introduced in 1860 by the British government to protect religious sentiments of various communities.

Talking to Daily Times over the phone, Sanghar SSP Dr Farrukh Lanjar said the incident took place in the Tando Adam town when a shopkeeper sold shoes inscribed with the word “Om”, “apparently unknowingly”. He said the shopkeeper bought the shoes from a Lahore-based company. “We are writing a letter to the Punjab Police to take action against the company,” he said.

Police confiscated three to four pairs of such shoes from the shop. However, there was no report of sale of similar shoes by any other outlet in the area. “We are investigating the matter thoroughly. Perhaps he didn’t know that shoes are inscribed with the Hindu sacred word. However, we cannot allow anyone to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments,” Lanjar said.

According to the official data available with the government of Pakistan, 5.5 million Hindus are living in Pakistan. Hindu groups however claim the number is around 8 million.

“I spoke to Lanjar and the police immediately took action against the shopkeeper selling the shoes,” said Nand Kumar Goklani, member of the Sindh Assembly and resident of the Sanghar district. Goklani said the incident could have provoked the Hindu community, but the timely action of the local authorities helped control the situation.