Posted on 05/29/2004 8:38:44 AM PDT by Qaz_W
LAHORE, Pakistan, May 29 (Reuters) - A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy for scattering garbage near a mosque has died of wounds suffered after a policeman attacked him with a hammer, police said on Saturday.
Lahore police official Abdul Shakoor said constable Faryad Ali was arrested on murder charges, after the victim, Samuel Masih, died on Friday.
The constable attacked Masih this week at a hospital in the eastern city of Lahore after learning that he had been accused of strewing garbage near the walls of a mosque.
Masih, 27, was arrested last year on a blasphemy complaint and was recently taken to hospital from prison for treatment of tuberculosis.
The death stirred strong protest from minority leaders in the mainly Muslim nation. They called for the abolition of blasphemy laws introduced in the 1970s under the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq.
"This is a brutal act of terrorism committed by the police constable and a clear misuse of blasphemy law," said Shahbaz Bhatti, president of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance. "This is the time that government should abolish blasphemy law."
President Pervez Musharraf, who is fighting religious extremism after joining the U.S.-led "war on terror", this month called for a review of the strict Islamic rules including the controversial laws on blasphemy.
Hardline Islamic groups vowed to resist any move by Musharraf to amend the laws, which prescribe the death penalty for insults to the Prophet Mohammad, other prophets and holy books.
But rights groups say they are often used to settle personal scores.
Most convictions are thrown out on appeal to higher courts, but several Christians and Muslims accused of blasphemy have been killed by religious fanatics in prison or police custody.
Sounds a bit extreme.
Isn't somebody going to apologize to the Christian world for this?
The cop attacked a patient in the hospital with a hammer? How brave of him.
The religion of peace strikes again.
Aw, man you beat me to it.
I can see where this is going-- the panty on the head comment will be like the 'It's Bush's fault. He should apologize' comment.
Nah, a Christian litterbug.
"Bang bang! Maxwells's silver hammer made sure that he was dead." -- The Beatles
Ok... I apologize for the tasteless reference. I bet a lot more Christians than Muslims get persecuted this way... just a FEELING, ya know....
I Blame the "Pro Hammer" nuts for this OUTRAGE!
I guess multiculturialism is only a one-way street.
Just use the stock defence: you can't blaspheme the name of a psycho-killer pedophile. He did it himself.
Ayatollah, tear down this wall!
Bet the charges were made up -- Christians are very unpopular round those parts.
Uh, oh...... they probably don't like freepers.
And I would be absolutely, positively HONORED to be put at the top of their "Most Despised Infidels" list.
An honor like no other, I assure you.
I agree. Being despised by them is indeed an honor.
Well, at least they didn't put a pair of women's panties on his head. That would have been really, really wrong.
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