LAHORE: In year 2010, Mian Irshad* was acquitted in a blasphemy case by the Lahore High Court. Despite the court order, Irshad’s life has resembled that of a fugitive since then.
In 2004, Irshad – who had accepted the Ahmadi faith a few years back – was taken to a local cleric in his village in central Punjab by his father. Irshad’s father wanted him to revert back to Islam. The cleric tried to persuade him but to no avail. On Irshad’s refusal, the cleric then nominated him in a case under section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Irshad tried to evade the police for a while but was told by his community elders to present himself before the authorities and fight a legal battle.
Categories: Ahmadis And Pakistan, Ahmadiyyat: True Islam, Asia, Belief, Blasphemy