Shia man arrested under blasphemy and terrorism charges in Pakistan's Punjab

Lahore, Sep 11 (PTI) A Shia man was arrested under blasphemy and terrorism charges for allegedly insulting companions of the Prophet in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said on Wednesday.
    According to police, two teenage boys - Talha and Muneeb - fought over a minor issue in the Ghala Mandi area of Sahiwal district, some 200 kms from Lahore, Tuesday.
    During the scuffle, Talha called his father Nadim Anjum, who allegedly brought a pistol and started beating Muneeb.
    Muneeb, who is the son of a local prayer leader of a mosque of the Sunni school of thought, told his father Muhammad Umar about the incident.
    "Umar from the mosque announced that Nadim Anjum, a Shia by faith, committed blasphemy as he insulted companions of the Prophet," police officer Muhammad Azam told PTI.
    He said a large number of people marched towards the house of Anjum. Police also reached there and took Anjum into custody who denied committing blasphemy. Anjum said that Muneeb's father wants to settle a score with him for thrashing his son.
    "As the police took the suspect into custody a mob led by activists of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) reached the police station and demanded his handing over to them. However, the mob dispersed when police assured them a case was registered against him under both blasphemy and terrorism charges," Azam said.
    Meanwhile, the family members of the suspect left the town to save their lives.
    The suspect has been booked under sections 298, 298-A, 506 of the PPC and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) on the complaint of the cleric.
    In Pakistan, most blasphemy cases are registered primarily to settle some grudges between the complainant and accused - who are mostly from the minority communities like Ahmadis, Shias and Christians.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)