SAHIWAL: The Ghala Mandi police arrested a Christian youth under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, 295-A, 298-A and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorist Act-1997.

The complaint from the same locality claimed the suspect had uttered derogatory remarks when he was present with his friends.

Following the incident, village elders and religious leaders decided to lodge an official complaint with the police.

Locals reported the suspect was an addict and mentally unstable.

The district police deployed officers to ensure the safety of the suspect and his family and nearby Christian neighbourhood. Guards were stationed at a village Church.

DPO Rana Tahir told Dawn the suspect would be presented before a local judicial magistrate on Tuesday and the police would act according to the judge’s decision.

Bishop Ibrahim Danial of the Gospel Mission and leading minority rights activists expressed sorrow over the incident and called for a medical examination of the youth to determine his mental health.

Sources said more than a dozen blasphemy cases had been registered in Sahiwal over the past 15 months.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2025