Pakistan: Rights body welcomes post-arrest bail of pastorfacing blasphemy accusations

According to a police investigation report given to the court on September 28, Pastor Eliezer, alias Vicky, and other individuals were placed in judicial custody. After being paralysed, the police investigation officer (I.O.) claimed in a report that Pastor Vicky was engaging in a "drama" to gain advantages and popularity.

According to an official press release of HRFP,Pastor Vicky got severely injured in the deadly attack in Faisalabad, Pakistan on September 3.

"When he was returning back from a prayer meeting, he was stopped by a youth with an unknown near the drain. They pointed a gun at him and forced him to embrace Islam, but the Pastor said he will only praise Jesus. The religious youth shot the gun at Pastor Vicky that hit his shoulder," the release said.

Over 21 churchesand more than a hundred houses were burnt on August 16 in theJaranwalamob attack. Moreover, 10,000Christianswere moved immediately and 20,000 were affected by the incident.

Pastor Vicky was attacked by the same religious elements who wrote the Islamic slogans on the Church wall on August 28.Pastor Vicky said that the attacker forced him first to recite Kalma, then shot him and fled the scene.

After receiving medical attention at the neighbourhood hospital (DHQ), Pastor Vicky was injured. Pastor Vicky was taken to the hospital after which the police took him to the detention facility. He suffered a diabetic attack while confined, which left him half-paralysed. On September 14, Pastor Vicky was brought into an unauthorised police detention along with Johnson Masih, Nasir Masih, Gulfam Masih, Kashif Masih, Badam Khan, and Pervaiz Masih, the HRFP release read.

Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) President Naveed Walter stated that since the investigation of Pastor Eliezer alias Vicky began, HRFP has been closely watching, working on, and increasing awareness of the situation.

He said that the attack on the pastor and the supposed writing of Islamic Slogans on the church wallwhich he vehemently deniedare of the utmost importance. Furthermore, Pastor Vicky refused to accept in his video statement, which is understandable given that during the weeks following the Jaranwala event, numerous similar incidents were reported in which Islamic religious elements caused issues and wrote Islamic verses on churches' walls.

Notably, it was on September 18, on the Court orders of Additional Session Judge Faisalabad Choudhry Inam Elahi in response to a bailiff sent to the police station Saddar Faisalabad, Pastor Vicky was neither produced nor his Medico Legal Certificate (MLC). The police kept Pastor Vicky in his home under their monitoring. The pastor was not allowed for any movement, and no one was allowed to meet him.

On September 23, Pastor Vicky appeared in the court. Magistrate Inam Elahi ordered Pastor for 2 days remand. On September 25, Pastor Vicky was taken to court and he was sent to the police remand for a couple of days more, the press release added.

The state should make aggressive moves to build a framework to deal with problems like Jaranwala and Pastor Vicky's as an "aftershock" of Jaranwala, continued Naveed Walter.

The police and authorities demonstrated their inability to deal with violent religious mobs and end the clashes, Naveed Walter said, adding that there isn't a single good example that could be followed because no one has taken decisive action against the individuals who have been inciting hatred towards religious minorities. (ANI)