ICC Note:
A Christian boy in Pakistan is currently on the run after being accused of blasphemy for watching an “un-Islamic” video on his mobile phone. Following the initial accusation, local religious leaders declared a fatwa against the Christian boy. As much as $10,000 has been collected as a reward for his body according the one local Christian organization. False accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan are common as the serious consequences of such accusations are used to settle personal scores.
5/12/2016 Pakistan (Christian Today) – A fatwa has been declared against a young Christian boy in Pakistan after he was accused of blasphemy.
Imran is now on the run and a $10,000 reward has been offered for his body after Muslim colleagues accused him of watching an anti-Islamic video on this phone. Fellow Christians in his village in Punjab, Pakistan have been given three options: convert to Islam, leave the village forever, or hand over Imran so he can be burnt.
This is according to the Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) who help persecuted Christians in Pakistan. In a statement they say one of Imran’s Muslim work colleagues, Bilal, took Imran’s phone and looked up the anti-Islamic videos on YouTube. Imran was then accused of blasphemy for having the videos.
Imran was beaten and locked away, but was released by members of the local Catholic church.
However three days later Imran discovered that Bilal had explained the situation to Muslim scholars who had issued a fatwa against him. A fatwa is a religious decree and means it is permitted for Imran to be killed.
News of the fatwa spread and a decree was issued from the local mosque to encourage Muslims to impose a boycott on Christians. Shopkeepers have stopped selling food to resident Christians and a local businessman offered 10 lakh Pak-rupees (nearly $10,000) for his body. At this point Imran fled.
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