Christian’s death in jail sparks riots in Sialkot

Islamabad: September 17, 2009, (PCTV Newsdesk)

Christians clashed with security forces on Wednesday at the funeral of Fanish Masih who, police said, hanged himself in jail while being held on blasphemy charges. Some Christian leaders alleged he was murdered.

Fanish Masih was found dead on Tuesday in his cell in Sialkot. Jail superintendent Farooq Lodhi said the 19-year-old hanged himself using the string that held up his pants. The National Commission for Justice and Peace, a Catholic-led advocacy group, called the death an “extra-judicial murder” and demanded an investigation. Lodhi denied any crime had been committed, adding an autopsy was being conducted.

“Those who say he was killed in the jail are in fact trying to create unrest and confrontation between the Muslims and the Christians,” he said. According to the National Commission for Justice and Peace, Masih was accused of throwing a chapter of the holy Qura’an down a drain last week in Jatheki village. Muslims in the village near Sialkot responded by burning a church, and Masih was arrested the following day. About 700 people attended Masih’s funeral. Dozens of young mourners began pelting stones at nearby police, who reacted by beating the protesters with batons and firing tear gas into the crowd, an Associated Press photographer at the scene in Sialkot said.

The deceased, Fanish Masih alias Robert, was laid to rest at the Christian graveyard Mudassar Shaheed Road, Sialkot Cantt, on Wednesday afternoon as the police and outraged Muslims did not allow burial in his native graveyard in Jaithikey-Sambrial village near Sialkot.

The police officials claimed the Christians were not allowed to bury the deceased in his native village in a bid to avert any further untoward incident, especially a clash between the Muslims and the Christians.

This infuriated the protesting Christians and they staged a sit-in on the main Kashmir Road near Lorry Adda and blocked the traffic by burning tyres. They also shouted anti-government slogans. Later, the protesters also attacked some shops there. On this, police baton-charged the protesting Christians and used tear gas to disperse them.

More than 1,500 male and female Christians participated in the sit-in. They were demanding registration of a murder case against the officials of the Sialkot district jail for allegedly torturing to death Fanish Masih in jail. As many as 11 Christians, including Sohan Lal, Bashir Masih, Javed Allah Ditta, Samuel Masih, Emanuel Masih and Pitras Masih, were seriously injured during the police baton charge.

Later, the use of tear gas by the police forced the protesters to disperse. Police claimed to have arrested as many as nine Christians. A huge contingent of police from the entire Gujranwala division was called to Sialkot on Wednesday, as the police remained present in village Jaithikey-Sambrial, Sialkot city and Sialkot Cantt to avert any untoward incident.

The funeral of the Fanish Masih was held at the ground of the CT Christian High School in Bara Pathar locality of Sialkot, where hundreds of Christians, including minorities MNAs Dr Nelson Azeem, Akram Gill, Provincial Minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael, MPAs and Christian leaders attended the memorial services amid tight security.

Following a strong protest by the outraged Christian community, the Civil Lines police have registered a case under Section 319 PPC against the Sialkot district jail superintendent and other officials for dereliction of duty.

The Christians were demanding registration of a murder case against the jail officials for torturing to death the blasphemy accused in the jail. Police have not yet arrested any accused jail official in this case. Moreover, all the shops in Sambrial, Jaithikey and some parts of Sialkot city on Wednesday remained closed.

Meanwhile, Federal Minorities Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti ordered an immediate inquiry into the death of Robert Masih. Taking serious notice of the incident, the minister has directed the respective local administration and police authorities to submit reports within 24 hours. Bhatti said the death of Robert in police custody was an unfortunate and sad event, and a complete inquiry of the incident would be conducted, and facts and medical report would be made public.