Six Muslims were booked under blasphemy law by Chichawatni city police have booked for desecrating turban of a Sikh passenger during a scuffle for complaining about inconvenience during the travel.Those who booked include five employees of a transport company and an owner of a bus terminal. DPO Sahiwala Syed Baqar Hussain Shah told ,"we have arrested five out of six persons under blasphemy law,"The complainant, Mahinder Paal Singh (29), a resident of Multan, told on telephone that he was traveling from Faisalabad to Multan by a bus (FDS 676) owned by Kohistan-Faisal Movers company that broke down near Dijkot. He said though the driver somehow started the bus again but its speed was very slow (around 30 km per hour) and it reached from Dijkot to Chichawatni terminal in five hours.He said that at the terminal he and some of his fellow passengers complained to the transport company’s staff about the slow speed of the bus and demanded an alternative vehicle for the onward journey.The two sides exchanged words, ensuing a free-for-all, during which six company employees and terminal owner manhandled the passengers, including Mr Singh. Mahinder Paal Singh alleged that during the fight a bus terminal hawker, Rashid Gujjar, threw his turban on the ground, the turban was considered sacred in the Sikh religious code and throwing it on the ground was tantamount to desecration.Mr Singh told police, that reached the bus terminal following the brawl, that it was a case of desecration and since he was a Pakistani national the attackers should be booked under blasphemy law. Khaizer Hayat, Chichawatni city police SHO said five of the attackers -- terminal manager Baqir Ali, Rashid Gujar, Faiz Alam, Shakeel and Sanwal had been booked under sections 295, 148 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Mahinder Paal Singh.Abdul Sattar, the investigation officer, said police were conducting raids to arrest terminal owner Haji Riyasat .DSP (headquarters) Ghulam Muhammad, who went to the terminal leading the police, confirmed an FIR (169/16) had been filed under blasphemy law against the suspects.
Police in Punjab’s Sahiwal district have booked six people, including owner of a private transport service, under blasphemy law for allegedly desecrating a Sikh man’s turban.
Owner of a local bus service, Haji Riyasat, and his five employees Baqir Ali, Rashid Gujar, Faiz Alam, Shakeel and Snawal have been booked under blasphemy law for desecrating a turban of a Sikh passenger, police sources told The Express Tribune on Monday.
According to reports, Mahinder Singh Paal, a 29-year-old resident of Multan, was traveling from Faisalabad to Multan by a bus owned by Kohistan-Faisal Movers Company which is based out of Dijkot.
“The bus was travelling at a low speed as it took around five hours to reach Chichawatni terminal from Dijkot — a distance it normally covers in an hour,” Singh said in his application to Chichawatni police.
“At the Chichawatni terminal, fellow passengers and I complained to the transport company’s staff about the slow speed of the bus and demanded an alternative vehicle for the onward journey,” he added.
Their demand, however, met a cold response from the management and a few harsh words were exchanged between the passengers and the employees of the transport company which led to a fierce brawl.
“Rashid Gujjar, the terminal employee, threw my turban on the ground,” Singh upheld in his application. “The turban is considered as holy in the Sikh religious code and throwing it on the ground is deemed equal to desecrating the Sikh religion.”
Police were conducting raids to arrest the bus service owner.
Meanwhile, Singh also alleged that some local politicians were backing the suspects and influencing the investigations. He appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the incident.
