GUJRAT: The police arrested three members of the Christian community under terrorism laws for using the word “prophet” on a poster to describe a dead pastor.
Area police chief Shahid Tanveer said that the men were arrested from Gujrat after police spotted posters marking the 20th anniversary of the death of priest Fazal Masih that referred to him using the Urdu word for prophet. “We have arrested three men, including the son of the priest, because they used the word prophet for the late Fazal Masih.”
He said that officers had summoned local Muslim clerics and elders of the Christian community to the police station to consult them on the matter. The Christians organising the event apologised and asked forgiveness, saying they had used the word to celebrate Masih’s services to the religion, but the Muslim clerics refused to accept the apology, he added.
Tanveer said that a case under anti-terrorism law had been registered against the organiser and three men were arrested, while 11 others were at large. He did not explain why terrorism charges were levelled, though the legislation is often used in sensitive and high profile cases, as it gives access to a fast-track trial process.
In Pakistan and rest of the Muslim world, the word is used only for Prophets (PBUH) of Allah and anyone claiming to be one is liable to be charged under the blasphemy law.