Muslims in Pakistan filed a blasphemy charge on 30 December against a Christian in retaliation for refusing their demand that he and others cede church land to them.
Babu Shahbaz was accused of desecrating the pages of the Qur’an and taken into custody on the same day. Although illiterate, he was accused of writing his name across 100 pages of the Qur’an, strewing them across the road and partially destroying 150 other pages. The accusers said Babu had ‘unknown accomplices’ helping him. There have been no eyewitnesses identifying anyone involved in the case.
Babu now faces a potential death sentence under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws. No one has been allowed to see him since the arrest.
Babu Shahbaz is married with one daughter and two sons. He has been evangelising for the past 15 years. He does not have a church building, but organises prayer meetings at his home. Christians and many Muslims attend services and many of those Muslims were contemplating converting to Christianity. It has also been alleged that Muslim Peer Baba Pola Gujjar has seen a significant reduction in his followers after many started attending the sessions at Babu’s house.
Bizarre claim
This animosity is said to be another trigger for false allegation of blasphemy laid against Babu, alongside land being desired by the accusers that would result in the local church building being displaced, and claims on a shop.
The Christian community finds it bizarre that a Christian man would desecrate the Qur’an in secret and then leave visible evidence of it, including his own name on the vandalised scriptures. This seems to have been missed by police and Muslims who are now threatening Christians with violence.
