New Delhi: An eight-year-old boy, whose action followed a Hindu temple ransacked in Pakistan’s Punjab province, has been charged with blasphemy laws. This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that an eight-year-old has been booked under the country’s controversial blasphemy laws.
According to a report published in British news daily The Guardian, the Pakistan Police has taken the child into protective custody. A child can be sentenced to death for blasphemy.
It is alleged that the child went to the madrasa library and urinated on the carpet where several holy books were kept. Angered by this act of the boy, the local Muslim clerics pressured the police to take action.
The police took the child into custody but later granted him bail. As soon as the child was released, fanatics in the local community got agitated and gathered in hundreds, vandalizing a nearby Hindu temple.
The Guardian reports that the child’s family is currently in hiding.
The boy’s family members informed the British daily, “The child has no knowledge of blasphemy law. He has been falsely accused. He still did not understand what his crime was and was imprisoned for a week. Why was it done?”
The family told The Guardian, “We are very scared. We have even left our house. We do not think that any concrete and meaningful action will be taken against the culprits or for the safety of the minorities living here.”
Pakistan Supreme Court rebuke
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has reprimanded the authorities for failing to protect the temple throughout the matter. Pakistan Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Friday said the temple demolition incident was “shameful for the country” as the police remained mute spectators.
Shocked by the arrest of the eight-year-old, the Chief Justice had asked the police whether they were unable to understand the mental state of such a young child.
Pakistan’s parliament on Friday passed a resolution condemning the temple attack. The hearing of the case has been adjourned till August 13.
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