Crippled Man and his Illiterate wife arrested for sending Text Message .

On 21^st July 2013, A Crippled Christian man, Shafaqat Emmanuel and his wife Shagufta Kausar was arrested in Gojra District for allegedly sending the Blasphemous text messages to the Local Muslims. Police registered the FIR 407/13 under section 295-B and 295-C. Complainants Muhmmad Hussain and Tehsil Bar Association President, Anwar Mansoor Goraya who alleged to receive the blasphemous Text messages from the number registered on Shagufta Kausar’s name.

The Station House officer (SHO) Gojra City Police Station, Mr. Muhammad Nasir told, “the police had verified that the SIM used to send the blasphemous text messages was registered in Shagufta’s name whereas her husband admitted to use her phone to send the messages to Hussain”

However, Shagufta told the police that they have lost the Cell phone a month ago. She denied the charges, but police started 3^rd degree torture on Shafaqat Masih who is Crippled and physically challenged. They tortured him in front of his wife and Four Children. Police forced him to admit the charges or name any other person or otherwise they will start torturing his wife Shagufta . Then Shafaqat admitted that he had sent the messages, whereas when Farrukh Sauf Foundation previously known as  World Vision in Progress-Lawyers visited Shafaqat Emmanuel, he denied the charges and stated

“There is no man who can see his wife being tortured by police and just to save my wife I had admitted the accusation”

He further told  FSF- and Rescue Christians Team

“when we lost phone and the SIM, I visited the nearby Mobile Shop many times to block our mobile SIM”

According to our investigation police also confirmed from the mobile shop and they also affirmed Shafaqat’s Statement. The shop owner says that he came twice to block his SIM-CARD.

This is so soreness situation that even after knowing the fact, that Couple had lost the Cell Phone and Sim- Card. Police registered an FIR against the Crippled Man and his uneducated wife.

Shagufta was working in “St. John Cathedral School” as a maid. Shagufta was the only working hand in the family, as Shafaqat  Emmanuel  was on wheelchair due to the fire arm injury in spin which paralysed his lower body. The Couple has four Children Zain (12) Danish(10) joshua (8)  and Sara(6) .

Local Cleric Pressure:

According to the Police authority Muslims Clerics and Local Lawyers and Bar official were so furious that they remained in the police station until the FIR was written.  Gojra is religiously volatile city where a week ago a young Christian man was sentenced to life in prison on the same charges. On July 13, Sajjad Masih was sent to jail for life imprisonment in the same sort of text messages case. The city police of Gojra in association with some fundamental Muslims beat the Christian boy, Sajjad Masih. The case was sent to the court of Mian Shahzad Raza, Additional Session Judge Gojra, for trial of the case. However Muslims were failed to prove the charges against Sajjad Masih but even than the Additional Session Judge Shahzad Raza sentenced him a life time imprisonment.

Earlier in 2009, due to the similar cause, radical Muslims set the Christian colony ablaze and 8 family members were burned alive. The fire was started from the Korian Village, District Toba Tek Singh and so far hundreds of houses were turned to ashes there. Many families had left their houses and shifted to other areas of the country and some fled from Pakistan.

The area is known as a house of the banned militant organization, Lashkar- e- Jhangvi. It was reported earlier that local government is backing up this organization and this case of Shafaqat Masih and his wife Shagufta Bibi is the continuation of Gojra Tragedy.

We have not been able to understand the situation with the Pakistani courts; the text message / SMS is taken as sole evidence against the accused of the Blasphemy case whereas the DNA test report, which is an authentic proof against rape, is not acceptable according to the Islamic Sharia Law.

Role of Christian NGOs and Churches:

Christian NGOs and Churches are playing as usual role during the past week .It has been observed that some of the NGO workers have been struggling to get this case for their vested interests. We hope everyone remember what happened when recent incident of Joseph Colony occurred in Lahore. Every man working on persecution was fighting for Sawan Masih. Even it has been seen that one well known activist has paid huge money to get pictures with Sawan Masih and his family. This is become a practice of many Christian NGOs to fight for such cases instead of working together to help these persecuted Christians.

Since 21^stJuly, 2013 FSF Team is working on the ground with the family. We have observed that instead of doing something, Church is again silent. Protestant, and Evangelical Bishops receive Billions of dollars from their sister churches and Christian Organizations but they spend those funds for their self promotions and luxury life styles.

Pakistani Bishops have luxury homes in the U.K., France, the U.S., and Denmark whereas the communities for whom these donations are received are living in the slum areas. Even Non-profit Organizations – NGOs funded for charitable programs – spend millions of Rupees for their personal promotions and for luxuries rather than doing something for the victims.

We felt the need to write something about the role of the cruelties of one greedy, religious leader in particular but for some reason, our team working on the ground stopped us from doing so at this stage. We will soon uncover the story behind the closed doors and how our leaders play with such persecuted Victims.

We along with our Partners will going to defend this persecuted Couple and has already given shelter to the Four Minor Kids and their Grandfather Emmanuel Masih. We hope that Soon we will be able to get justice for this persecuted Couple.

We request you all to lift your voice for this persecuted family , We believe that Together we all can save their lives .