Pakistan: Police accused of negligence in case of Christian couple lynched for blasphemy

Shahzad and Shama Masih

The Supreme Court of Pakistan criticized the inaction of the police in front of the lynching of the Christian couple Shahzad and Shama Masih, accused of blasphemy and killed in Kot Radha Kishan, Punjab, on 4 November 2014.

In the horrific incident, Shama Bibi, who was four months pregnant, and her husband Shahbaz Masih, were attacked by a crowd who accused them of burning pages of the Qur'an. After beating the couple they incinerated their bodies in a brick kiln. Reports state that Shahbaz Masih was still alive, although badly wounded, when he was thrown into the kiln.

On 24 August, the Court, in a case involving two accused of the lynching, strongly criticized the police for not having intervened to prevent violence and did nothing to protect the two Christian citizens.

Five police officers were present at the scene of the crime, while the crowd of about 500 carried out the lynching. The officers are accused of negligence, while the prosecutor argued that the police tried to stop the angry crowd, but failed.

An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has charged with murder 106 people deemed responsible for the lynching of the Christian couple, but justice, say Christian lawyers, moves at a slow pace.

Source: Fides

See earlier report: ICN 8 November 2014 - Pakistan: Murder of Christian couple 'worst hate crime in country's history' www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=25950