First Information Report (FIR No. 359/19), registered by Trainee Sub-Inspector Fraz Ahmed with the Faqirwali Police Station in Bahawalnagar on June 29, 2019, claimed Ahmed received “secret information” that Waqas had printed blasphemous sketches of Islam’s prophet and was carrying them in a black bag to show other people.
“According to the complainant, upon questioning Waqas told police that his cousin Noman had shared the alleged sacrilegious images with him on WhatsApp,” the FIR states.
Waqas was then taken into custody and charged with blasphemy, she said. His cousin was arrested on July 1, 2019, by Bahawalpur police.
FIR No. 366/19 registered by the Baghdadul Jadeed Police Station on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Muhammad Arshad Nadeem states that he received “secret information” that Noman Masih was sitting in a public park at 3:30 a.m. with nine or 10 people and was showing them blasphemous images on his phone.
“The FIR is as ludicrous as was the one registered against Waqas,” Maria said, adding that her clients had no clue why they had been charged with blasphemy and thrown in jail.
“Sunny Waqas told us that he had a quarrel with some Muslim neighbors over a cricket match some days before he was implicated in the case,” she said. “He’s still unable to understand how that altercation could have entrapped him and his cousin.”
She said Masih’s trial in Bahawalpur sessions court had concluded two months ago, but that the verdict was still pending. In Bahawalnagar, the trial of both Waqas and Masih is in the evidence stage, and the defense has submitted final arguments in Masih’s case, she said.
“We are praying and hoping that this case gets heard by God-fearing judges who will decide the matter on merit, rather than base their decisions on personal or religious biases,” she said.
Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, up from eighth the previous year.
This article originally appeared here.
