Pakistani Christians have demonstrated for justice and against blasphemy legislation after Christian couple was burned to death. Photo: LEAD for BosNewsLife
A Pakistani Christian has been acquitted more than four years after being charged with the murder of his Muslim employer’s brother.
Imtiaz Masih, whose case has not been made public until now, was acquitted on 7 February. The court found that witnesses testifying against him were unreliable.
Masih was accused of fatally shooting Muhammad Anwar on 9 November 2010. Anwar’s brother, Muhammad Aslam, originally filed a police report claiming that he witnessed three Muslim landlords and two others commit the murder. However, he later changed this statement, instead accusing Masih of the crime.
Aslam and Masih’s employer Muhammad Sarwar, another of Anwar’s brothers, then kidnapped Masih and allegedly tortured him until he confessed to the murder. Aslam apparently then duped Masih’s father into handing over the family’s land.
According to the Organisation for Legal Aid which pursued Masih’s acquittal, Anwar’s widow later filed charges against Sanwar and Aslam accusing them of murdering her husband. She later withdrew the allegations.
Masih was released on bail in March 2011, but was embroiled in legal battles for almost four years, until the court’s final decision earlier this month.
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SOURCE: Christian Today
Carey Lodge
