In Pakistan, a woman was accused of blasphemy because of the inscription on her shirt: she was threatened with the death penalty – News
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Kurta with an inscription in Arabic
shalik_riyadh/Instagram
In Pakistan, an angry mob accused a woman of blasphemy for wearing a shirt with an Arabic inscription. People thought it was a verse from the Koran.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in this country, the BBC and Hindustan Times reported.
On Sunday, February 25, the Lahori city police received a call that a woman had gathered a crowd around her in one of the restaurants because of an inscription on her kurta, a traditional long shirt. By the time the law enforcement officers arrived, about 300 people had gathered around the institution.
The crowd shouted and demanded that the woman take off her shirt. Some even chanted that blasphemers should be beheaded. The police had to block the woman from angry people.
“No one really knew what was written on the dress. It was a real feat to try to get this woman out of the scene to ensure her safety.” – said police officer Sayda Shehrbano.
A woman accused of blasphemy
Barrister Sidra Qayyum/X
For this, the woman was covered with a black robe and a scarf was put on her head. People in the crowd were pushing, so to clear the way, law enforcement officers created a chain.
The woman was taken to the station, where several religious scholars confirmed that the text on her dress was Arabic calligraphy and not verses from the Koran. It was the word “Halwa”, which in translation means “sweet”.
The law enforcement officers asked the scientists to record a video on which they confirmed their findings.
“It was not my intention, it happened by accident. However, I apologize for everything that happened and I will do everything possible to make sure it never happens again.” – said the woman herself.
Anti-blasphemy laws were first codified by India’s British rulers and expanded by the military government in the 1980s.
In Pakistan, some “blasphemers” are lynched before their cases go to court. In August 2023, dozens of churches and houses were burned down in the town of Jaranwala after two local men were accused of damaging the Koran.
We will remind, in Iran, an activist was punished with 74 lashes for a photo without a hijab.
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