Blasphemy acquitted, was gunned down in Jehlum,LEAD has concern for Younas Masih

Punjab:It is shocking news which came on surface in news papers about one blasphemy acquittal,Ashraf Gola , was gunned down near Pind Dadan Khan, some 250 kilometres from Lahore by unidentified men and dead along with one friend Iftikhar Ahmed in a car while they were travelling.

Sharafat Gola told police that his brother,Ashraf Gola got threats of dire consequences by those who pursuing it after acquittal from blasphemy.

Police have registered a case against the unidentified killers.The incident highlights how blasphemy accused are not safe in Pakistan even after being acquitted. 

Advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill,a Human Rights Defender,said  that Pakistan's blasphemy law is often misused to settle personal scores and grudges specially against the weaker minority (Christian) of Pakistan.

Last year in April,Younis Masih acquitted of blasphemy, who had languished in jail since his arrest on 10 September,2005, was declared innocent by Lahore High Court by the DB of Justice Khaja Amtiaz Ahmed and Justice Khalid Mehmood Khan . 

Masih had  suffered a heart attack on 8 January ,2013 and he is still heart patient.patient. Masih told that he is still getting threats of dire consequences and once attacked by some unidentified men.

Asia Bibi,the Christian mother of 5, convicted under the law of blasphemy in 2010,remains on death row in Pakistan and  a cleric in Peshawar had offered a reward of 5,000 euro to anyone who kills the mother of five.For now, the uphill struggle continues,the Pakistani court has reopened her appeal against the blasphemy conviction and death sentence which is fixed for tomorrow 26 March,2014 in The DB (Division Bench) of Lahore High Court Lahore.

“We are hoping for the best for Asia Bibi. However, her life will be in danger anyways, as soldiers will try to kill her if she is freed”,said Gill."We also have the examples of two brothers, Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid Masih Emmanuel, both Christians accused of blasphemy, killed in cold-blood in front of the Court of Faisalabad, during their hearings, in July 2010."

We appeal to our brothers and sisters to pray for Younis Masih 's safety,Asia's acquittal and their safe relocation.We further appeal to pray for all who are suffering in different Pakistani jails under allegation of blasphemy law.