Doctor arrested over Pakistan's archaic blasphemy laws
Monday 13th December, 2010
The complaint was supported by local religious leaders, meaning the doctor could now face a death sentence.
A doctor has been jailed in Pakistan for throwing away a business card of a man named "Muhammad."
The incident took place in Hyderabad, resulting in the doctor, Naushad Walyani, being taken to prison.
Walyani was arrested over a seemingly trivial gesture in which he threw the business card of a passing pharmaceutical salesman in the rubbish bin.
Annoyed by the gesture, the salesman returned later with colleagues to admonish the doctor, allegedly attacking him during an argument.
The salesman threatened to report the doctor for blasphemy for not respecting the sacred name of the Prophet, as engraved on the business card.
A complaint was later made to police under the Blasphemy Act. The doctor was arrested and is now awaiting trial.
A later apology and the assurance that he had no intention of insulting the Prophet by throwing the card in the bin has so far served no purpose.
The complaint was supported by local religious leaders, meaning the doctor could now face a death sentence.
Monday 13th December, 2010
The complaint was supported by local religious leaders, meaning the doctor could now face a death sentence.
A doctor has been jailed in Pakistan for throwing away a business card of a man named "Muhammad."
The incident took place in Hyderabad, resulting in the doctor, Naushad Walyani, being taken to prison.
Walyani was arrested over a seemingly trivial gesture in which he threw the business card of a passing pharmaceutical salesman in the rubbish bin.
Annoyed by the gesture, the salesman returned later with colleagues to admonish the doctor, allegedly attacking him during an argument.
The salesman threatened to report the doctor for blasphemy for not respecting the sacred name of the Prophet, as engraved on the business card.
A complaint was later made to police under the Blasphemy Act. The doctor was arrested and is now awaiting trial.
A later apology and the assurance that he had no intention of insulting the Prophet by throwing the card in the bin has so far served no purpose.
The complaint was supported by local religious leaders, meaning the doctor could now face a death sentence.
