Six Pakistanis Booked For Blasphemy for Throwing Sikh Man’s Turban

Police have registered an FIR against 6 people under blasphemy law on the complaint of Mahinder Paal Singh.

Sikh men celebrate Baisakhi in Pakistan. (Photo: Reuters)

A 29-year-old Sikh man’s turban was desecrated during a scuffle at a bus terminal in Pakistan’s Punjab Province and six people have been booked under the blasphemy law in connection with the incident, officials said on Monday.

The police have registered an FIR against six people under blasphemy law on the complaint of Mahinder Paal Singh, a resident of Multan district of Punjab.

Singh told the police that he was travelling last week from Faisalabad to Multan by a bus owned by Kohistan-Faisal Movers when it developed a fault near Dijkot.

The driver fixed the fault but the bus’ speed was very slow and it took five hours to get to Chichawatni bus terminal where he and other passengers complained to the transport company’s staff about the speed of the bus and demanded an alternative vehicle for the journey to Multan.

The arguments over the issue led to a scuffle between the company’s staff and the passengers. During the fight, a bus terminal hawker, Rashid Gujjar, threw my turban on the ground and others manhandled me. The turban is considered sacred in the Sikh religious code and throwing it on the ground is tantamount to desecration.

Mahinder Paal Singh

On the complaint of Mahinder Paal Singh, we have booked Gujjar and five others under PPC sections 295 (blasphemy), 506 (hurling threats) and 148 and are carrying out raids for their arrests.

Khaizer Hayat, Chichawatni City Police Incharge to <i>Dawn</i>

Singh alleged that some local politicians were backing the suspects and influencing the investigations.

He appealed to Punjab Province Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to look into the matter.