Lahore: A new blasphemy case has been filed today against a Christian couple, Shaukat Masih and Kiran, residing on Millwali Street in Chaudhry Colony, Lahore.

 According to the First Information Report (FIR), the complainant Muhammad Tamoor reported that last night, while near the Khanki Tikka shop close to the Rangers headquarters on Millwali Street, Chaudhry Colony, he noticed several pages falling from the roof of a nearby house. Concerned by this, he approached the house and knocked on the door. A lady named Kiran answered, and when questioned about the incident, she mentioned that it might involve her daughters, Sundas and Ruby, and her son, Sabir. At his insistence, Kiran permitted him to enter the house.

 Upon reaching the second-floor rooftop, he discovered a pink bag tucked behind a water tank, containing additional pages from the Quran. Disturbed by this, he promptly contacted the emergency police on 15, who arrived at the scene. He handed over the bag and the Quranic pages to the police.

 In his statement, the complainant requested the registration of a case against Shaukat and Kiran for allegedly desecrating the holy Quran by scattering  its pages.

 The police have registered a case under Section 295-B of the blasphemy law, which pertains to the "Defiling, etc. of a copy of the Holy Qur'an." This section prescribes severe punishment, including imprisonment for life, for wilfully defiling, damaging, desecrating, or using a copy of the Holy Qur'an or its extract in a derogatory manner or for any unlawful purpose.

 Shaukat and his wife have been taken into police custody. The situation remains tense in the area.

 Nasir Saeed, Director of CLAAS-UK, expressed grave concerns about the persistent misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy law against Christians. He strongly condemned the rising number of blasphemy allegations and the subsequent harassment Christians face due to religious biases. Saeed urged the government to act decisively against this growing animosity towards Christians, emphasizing the need for stricter legal measures against hate propagators. He highlighted the government's responsibility to protect all, especially vulnerable religious minorities.

 Saeed believes these incidents are part of a larger strategy to force Christians out of Pakistan, describing it as a "gradual genocide" of Christians. He emphasized the urgency of immediate action to prevent dire consequences.

 While the government has established Messaq centres, Saeed noted their apparent non-functionality and emphasized referring such cases to them. He reminded that Christians had once supported the vision of Pakistan's founder, Quaid-e-Azam, for equal rights. However, Christians have consistently faced inequality, with increasing pressures to leave, attacks on their communities, and elusive justice. Saeed called for more than just monetary compensation, stressing the need for thorough investigations and holding culprits accountable to prevent future attacks.