Hindu Couple to Die Over Koran?

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Hindu Couple to Die Over Koran?

Hindu couple held on blasphemy charge in Pakistan

 

"Blasphemy, including desecrating the Koran, is a capital offence in

Muslim Pakistan and carries the death sentence.

Such cases are relatively common in the country, but death sentences

have never been carried out because convictions have always been

turned down by high courts, citing lack of evidence.

However, several people accused of committing blasphemy have been

killed by religious zealots in the past."

 

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani police arrested a Hindu couple on

charges of desecrating a Koran, Islam's holy book, officials said on

Saturday.

 

The man identified as Chaman Lal and his wife were arrested near the

conservative northwestern town of Swabi on Friday after neighbours

complained to police they had thrown a copy of the Koran in a field

near their house.

 

"We have arrested the couple and we are holding an investigation,"

local police chief Atta Mohammad told Reuters.

 

"After an investigation, we will send their case to the court and

they will be punished according to the law of the land, if they are

found guilty," he added.

 

Residents and newspapers said other members of the Lal family had

been moved to a safe place after a mob ransacked their house. But

Mohammad denied the house was attacked.

 

Blasphemy, including desecrating the Koran, is a capital offence in

Muslim Pakistan and carries the death sentence.

 

Such cases are relatively common in the country, but death sentences

have never been carried out because convictions have always been

turned down by high courts, citing lack of evidence.

 

However, several people accused of committing blasphemy have been

killed by religious zealots in the past.

 

Human rights groups and non-Muslim minorities want the blasphemy law

to be struck off the books saying it is often abused by people to

settle personal scores or religious rivalry.

 

Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and other minorities account for about

three percent of Pakistan's around 150 million population.