In an extraordinarily rare Pakistani Blasphemy law case both a husband and wife were charged with blasphemy and imprisoned in two different jails.
Shafqat Emmanuel is incarcerated at District Jail Faisalabad and Shagufta Kauser is around 250 km away at Multan Jail, a home she shares with Pakistan’s
most famous blasphemy law victim Asia Bibi (click here).
The Christian couple were arrested on 21st July 2013 for an alleged transmission of blasphemous texts to a local Imam and other Muslims in their local
area. Police registered an FIR against the couple no: 407/13 under sections 295-B and 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code. Only two complainants
were named on the FIR Muhmmad Hussain and Anwar Mansoor Goraya who is a tehsil (district) Bar Association president.
The couple deny that they have committed any crime and have stated that they were not in possession of a phone at the time, as their phone had been
lost two months earlier, moreover they had not been registered owners of any SIM card.
The only evidence that had ever been submitted in this case was a bill from a shop for a SIM card. However under alleged severe torture by the police,
Shafqat confessed to the crime, but later explained to lawyers that this was in his hope of saving his wife from the brutal punishment and torture
being undertaken before him. He said: “There is no man who can stand to see his wife being tortured by police, so to save my wife, I confessed.
Despite the paucity of evidence the husband and wife were found guilty and on 4th April 2014 were pronounced guilty and sentenced to death.
Prison has been extremely difficult for Shafqat Emmanuel a disabled wheelchair user who is paralysed from the waist down. Shaukat is presently receiving
treatment for extremely painful bedsores located all over his body. These sores have become so infected that he has spent months at a time
hospitalised during his imprisonment and there are serious concerns that he will not survive a long prison sentence.
The couple’s four children, Zain (14 years), Danish (12 years), Joshua (10 years) and Saira (9 years), have been brought up by their paternal grandfather
Emmanuel Masih and really miss their parents. Shagufta has expressed great sadness that she has not been able to contribute to their lives and has
also been inconsolable that she cannot continue the full time care her husband requires. She is aware of her husbands ill health and has been praying
for him daily.
Shaukat and Shagufta have submitted an appeal to Lahore High Court in the beginning of February. There appeal is based on the lack of concrete
evidence for a crime and an appeal for clemency due to the poor health of Shafqat. The couple believe that they will be set free by the grace of God
and have been praying for emancipation. Alarmingly the Lahore High Court refused an appeal for Asia Bibi in October 2014 (click here),
one of many spurious decisions that has forced Christians to question the independence of Pakistan’s High Court system. However a landmark decision
by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in overturning the Lahore High Court decision and permitting Asia Bibi her day in court
has provided a much needed glimmer of hope (click here).
Asia Bibi is still awaiting a date for her appeal which is expected in the next few weeks.
Wilson Chowdhry, Chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, said:
“I have always remembered the guilty verdict for this couple as it was given two years ago on my birthday and soured my celebrations. This couple is obviously innocent, the evidence submitted in their case was flimsy at best and the use of police brutality to get a confession a perfunctory response. That they like so many other blasphemy law victims have had to suffer so cruelly is heartbreaking and I dearly hope they are set free. However in the current harsh political climate where the murderer of senior politician is deemed an Islamic Hero, it will be extremely difficult.”
He added:
“Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws have been used by extremists to terrorise innocent Christian communities. They have been used by land mafia
to force Christians out of their homes so the accusers can obtain their property and have been used by people to set personal vendettas. It is true
to say that 50% of thousands of blasphemy convictions are laid against Muslims, yet 15% are laid against Christians who only make up 1.6% of the
population. One statistic that will never change is that 100% of allegations are made by Muslims as the law is slanted in their favour. Undeniably
the system of governance in Pakistan is theocratic and not democratic, the undermining of Christians in aspects of law, politics, employment, and schooling
including caricaturing and demonizing them in text books has served to create a pariah status that leaves them severely vulnerable.”
If you would like to contribute towards our ongoing work for suffering Christians our bank details and paypal/visa payment facility can be found here: (click here). Please use Ref: Love for Pakistani Christians.