MULTAN, Nov 9th: Senior Civil Judge of Jehanian in Khanewal district Zafar Iqbal adjourned the hearing of a blasphemy case against Farhan Ahmed , who allegedly claimed himself to be the 11th caliph/Imam of Islam till Nov 13 (Wednesday). Police booked him under blasphemy laws by the Punjab police. His trial is in progress in District Jail Multan for security reason. The Farhan Ahmed's Lawyer , Syed Athar Shah Bukhari contended that his client is innocent and he never claimed to be Imam or caliph of Islam Instead he was an author of 26 books on the Islamic Science of Spirituality (Sufism or Tsawwuf).The complainant Rana Muhammad Faryad resident of Thatta Sadiqabad (A village of Multan) asked him to read a paper loudly and then explained him what is this ? . When he read this paper which contains objectionable material. Rana Faryad made a video secretly and later made it viral.He further told that a girl Fauzia daughter of Ghulam Sarwar wanted to take revenge of her rejection.He lured Rana Muhammad Faryad and exploited for her ulterior motive. The Lawyer further said that Farhan is a young boy of 25 and he is still unmarried and there is no truth in this story which was fabricated based on vengeance. On the complaint of Rana Muhammad Faryad the police charged Farhan Ahmed, who is in his late 25s, with blasphemy, after a video, in which he claimed himself to be the 11th Imam of Islam went viral on social media. Ahmed is a resident of Sahiwal, some 160-km from Multan. The accused categorically denied these allegations before the court but prosecution insisted on its charge sheet.
According to police, an FIR has been registered against Ahmed under section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code and section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).
The police received a complaint that Ahmed told his followers that Sufi saints had already foretold about his "appearance"."The prime minister and the army chief should swear their allegiance to me," said Ahmed, who was flanked by his disciples in the video.
He also claimed that he was the guardian of the appearance of Imam Mehdi. He invited the youth of Pakistan to join him, urging them to take oath of allegiance to him.
