The Christians’ True Spirit (CTS) has received information regarding a blasphemy case in Rawalpindi City adjacent to Islamabad (capital). The sources informed that two Christian brothers Nasir Yousaf and Nisar Yousaf resident of Westridge Bazar Rawalpindi falsely accused of blasphemy in December 2015 by their Muslim tenant who tried to occupy the residential property of Yousaf brothers. The family is under immense pressure; their lives have become imperiled due to the wrath of inflamed fanatics.
The case is finished in the Westridge Police Station after high level investigation by District Police Officer (DPO), Senior Police Officer (SP) and District Superintendent of Police (DSP), the Case FIR was not lodged against Yousaf brothers.
Although Police dismissed Blasphemy case but the family is still under the high pressure of Muslims extremists, as they received continue life threat calls by unknown Muslims. Yousaf brothers are hiding along with their wives and small kids who are only between the ages of 6 months to 07 years. The family is sacred for the life safety and future of their children. Since the time they have changed several places to hide themselves and their children from the angry Muslims. The fanatics, through their networks following the movement of the family and threatening to kill their innocent children as they have already attacked the family twice, are forced to migrate to different places.
The family is in dire financial condition and unable to make ends meet. The concerned police is well known about the severe situation and twin attacks on the family and even the identity of the perpetrators, but not taking a serious legal action help to this oppressed family, as, in their opinion, the family is free from the legal case accusations. The family have knocked doors of several Christian Organizations including NGO,s and Churches but could not get proper security of life and receiving continue threats by the perpetrators.
CASE NARRATIVE:
The following information has been received from Shahazad Raza s/o Yousaf, aged 35, approached Christian’s True Spirit (CTS) in Lahore on January 20, 2015 and reported that a fake blasphemy case fabricated against his elder brothers Nasir Yousaf and Nisar Yousaf in December 2015, Yousaf family is hiding as facing severe life threats, need immediate protection.
Shahzad Yousaf voiced the matter. He informed that the family is well established and influenced in the locality at Westridge Bazar Rawalpindi. The property belongs to their forefathers who lived here from decades and Yousaf brothers residing at the same place. Shahzad Yousaf informed CTS that they are nineteen members of the family including four brothers, their wives, children and their mother.
He further stated that Yousaf family owned a big property in locality and a few houses given on rent to different locals. Mohammad Jalal Bhatti, a local Muslim was one of the tenants. He had eight sons named Mohammad Azeem Bhatti, Mohammad Nadeem Bhatti, Mohammad Shabeer Bhatti, Mohammad Sadheer Bhatti, Mohammad Shakeel Bhatti, Mohammad Kashif Bhatti and Mohammad Bilal Bhatti and their sons.
A big male denominating family; started creating problems for local Christians, Yousaf brothers always condemned their unacceptable advances towards society and after a certain period of time Yousaf family asked Mohammad Jalal and his son Mohammad Azeem Bhatti to vacant the place as they wanted a peaceful environment in the locality. Mohammad started making lame excuses to leave the place but soon in October 2015 he reveled that he got the ownership of the said house and refused to pay the decided amount of rent.
Yousaf family got curious, and filed a suit for the “Permanent Injunction” in the Civil Courts Rawalpindi, the same decided in the favor of Yousaf brothers in November 2015 as they were the true owners of the said land. Mohammad Jalal was not willing to leave place therefore Yousaf brothers filed an application in the Sessions Court Rawalpindi on December 15, 2015, requested a court bailiff to vacant the occupied property by Mohammad Jalal and his sons. The Court ordered as per the Law, a court bailiff deputed to solve the matter, the bailiff reached the point accompanying local police including women police constables from Westridge Police Station. The belongings of Mohammad Jalal Bhatti and his family were put down outside the house to get the place free in the presence of the bailiff and the police.
Mohammad Jalal and his sons put a tent in the street to live in; continually threatening Yousaf family to leave the place otherwise they will kill the whole family. Mohammad Azeem showed his anger breaking the mirror of Shahazad Raza Yousaf’s Car and warned him for dire consequences. Shahazad Raza reported the matter in the Westridge Police Station and asked for protection of the family but police did not take the matter seriously as it was a general dispute among the locals. The same evening Moh Azeem approached Westridge police station to file a blasphemy case against Yousaf brothers and alleged Nasir Yousaf and Nisar Yousaf for blasphemy. He said in the statement that Nasir and Nisar committed blasphemous act while throwing out his households including Quran in the presence of the court bailiff, local police and a few locals. He mentioned Sharoon Javed (a local Christian boy) as an eye witness you the incident.
Police strictly ordered locals to keep quiet about the issue, being unwilling to high light the matter for the peace and security of Yousaf Family and other local Christians. Meanwhile the high police officials including District Superintendent Police (DSP), Senior Police Officer investigation (SP) and Station House Officer (SHO) started investigation of the case. Police called upon few local influenced and made an inquiry committee consisting on 14 members under supervision SP, investigation date was fixed on December 18, 2015. The SHO called upon parties for investigation including court bailiff, Local police constables and lady police. The same day on Dec 18, earlier that the police inquiry occurred, Mohammad Azeem Bhatti hard- pressed Sharoon Javed s/o Javed Raja to get involve Shahazad Raza Yousaf and his cousin Sheraz Peter s/o Peter Masih in a fake case. Sharoon accused Shahazad Raza and Sheraz of trespassing of his house and beat him severely while threatened him for life as he was the eye witness in the blasphemy case against them.
In the reaction of Sharoon application a case FIR no. 426/15 offence under section 452 and 506 of Pakistan Penal Code, registered, in the Westridge Police Station Rawalpindi and police arrested Shahazad Raza s/o Yousaf and Sheraz Peter and kept them in the police lockup in the said Police station.
The same evening during the police investigation in the blasphemy case the court Bailiff, Police and the committee, recorded statements as no blasphemous act done by Nasir Yousaf and Nisar Yousaf on the day when they threw the luggage outside the house to vacant the place. After a fair inquiry on the application dismissed application of Mohammad Azeem and the case FIR was not lodged. Meanwhile police inquired the matter of case FIR no. 426/15 which was registered due to maliciousness and the same was also proved as a fake case registered against Yousaf brothers.
The concerned police produced Shahazad Raza Yousaf and Sheraz Peter in the court of Mr. Saleem Iqbal, Magistrate Sec 30, District and Session Judge Rawalpindi as well as inquiry report of the case, and the judge dismissed the case FIR No. 426/15 and released Shahazad Raza Yousaf and Sheraz Peter.
Yousaf Family attacked twice by perpetrators
Yousaf family is on serious life threats and escaped from the place from the beginning of New Year 2016. On January 01, 2016 Mohammad Nadeem Bhatti s/o Mohammad Jalal and his son Amir Bhatti armed with deadly weapons, accompanying of 5 unknown forcibly entered in to Yousaf’s house and attacked Nasir Yousaf, Nisar Yousaf, their mother Kathreen Yousaf and other females in the family, beat them severely and threatened for life, the locals gathered at the spot and saved the family from the aggressive Muslims. Nasir Yousaf s/o Yousaf Masih reported the matter in the Westridge Police Station and requested for the family protection, but police again non- serious to take legal action against the Muslims in this regard.
The Yousaf brothers become afraid of the life of their families; they were frightened from the 5 strangers who attacked family in support of Mohammad Nadeem Bhatti and his son. The unknown were having long beard and the Yousaf family supposed them linked with Talibans. Therefore they flee immediately to safety, since the time they have changed several places to hide themselves and their children as Muslim fanatics, through their networks following the movement of the family.
On January 25, 2015 Kathreen Yousaf widow of Yousaf Masih aged 65, again attacked by Muslims as she visited her place to get some needy stuff of children from the house in Westridge Bazar. Yousaf brothers supposed that opponents will not harm an old lady, but they started throwing stones on her and attacked her while armed with wooden rods. They beat Kathreen severely, as wanted to kill her at the spot, someone immediately informed police and a few neighbors resisted the aggressive Muslims; meanwhile police reached the spot and rescued her. Kathreen suffered through sever pain due to beating and asked her sons to not go to their place again as she is frightened for the security of her sons.
Through sources Yousaf family knew that Mohammad Jalal and his sons have occupied their property/residential places again which is violation of Law and court and no one have courage to question them for this wrongful act. Children are disturbed and feel uneasy while shifting place, they are afraid and stopped going schools. Yousaf brothers cannot do work properly because they are mentally upset, the employers have warned them to fire from the Jobs and deduct their gratuities. The family has requested CTS for permanent protection and safety of this grieved.
Family detail:
| No. | Relation | Name | Date of Birth | Occupation |
| 1. | Mother | Kathreen Yousaf widow of Yousaf | 01-01-1950 | |
| 2. | Son | Bashir Yousaf | 21-06-1968 | Work as plumber in Dubai |
| 3. | Nadia Malik w/o Bashir Yousaf | 17-06-1970 | ||
| 4. | Abeer Bashir (son) | 21-01-2007 | ||
| 5. | Kabeer Bashir (son) | 09-12-2008 | ||
| 6. | Mahima Bahir | 05-3-2010 | ||
| 7. | Son | Nisar Yousaf | 22-06-1971 | Building inspector at contentment Board |
| 8. | Gulshan Mariam w/o Nisar Yousaf | 17-08-1980 | ||
| 9. | Aryian Nisar (son) | 18-05-2010 | ||
| 10. | Malaika Sitaish (daughter) | 08-06-2012 | ||
| 11. | Sheehan Nisar (son) | 08-06-2012 | ||
| 12. | Son | Nasir Yousaf | 31-12-1976 | Welder –work in constructions |
| 13. | Shagufta Nasir w/o Nasir Yousaf | 25-08-1982 | ||
| 14. | Zephan Nasir (son) | 21-08-2010 | ||
| 15. | Manziay Nasir (daughter) | 08-01-2014 | ||
| 16. | Zimarn Nasir (son) | 15-07-2015 | ||
| 17. | Son | Shahazad Raza | 27-11-1982 | Mechanical Engineer in Oil Company Rawalpindi |
| 18. | Kiran Shahzad w/o Shahazad Raza | 18-12-1982 | ||
| 19. | Anaya Shahzad (daughter) | 27-11-2014 |
Shahazad Raza said that they are four brothers Bashir Yousaf aged 48, Nisar Yousaf aged 44, Nasir Yousaf aged 38and Shahazad Raza Yousaf aged 35 (himself). They all are married and have children from the ages 6 months to 9 years, they live in a joint family system and their old mother Katherine Yousaf aged 65 (widow) live with them.
CTS ACTION
Dear Friends,
We believe your support for the safety of Yousaf family and request your regular Prayers in churches or individually that the Lord Our God be refuge of this oppressed family. The King of Peace gives his own peace to the kids who are afraid of losing friends and worried about schools. May the Lord keep Yousaf brothers in His perfect and arrange a better secure place for them where they can move independently for work to provide wealthy future to their families. Pray for the extremists in Pakistan that they experience Love and Mercy of Christ and feel the pain of others suffering. May the peace prevail on earth of Pakistan and in the world that every single person could feel himself secure and gratis and we see The Lamb playing in The Lion’s cave.
We request you please forward this prayer request to your churches and individual friends and also remember CTS in prayers that we could provide safety to the family including other needs.
Please write letters to the international authorities, calling on them to provide the best possible security/rescue of the family from Pakistan, as the family and their children are in danger of being accused of blasphemy they would be killed. The government of Pakistan is failed to ensure security to the minority groups and ensure the freedom of belief and faith according to Constitution Article 9 (security of individual persons), Article 15 (freedom of movement), Article 35 (protection of family) and Article 36 (protection of minorities). The police officials, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Station House Officer (SHO) of Westridge Police Station Rawalpindi know the case but did not punish the perpetrators. The victim family must be provided security of life. Pakistan is not safe place for such victim such as former Governer Punjab Salman Taseer, Minority, Federal Minister Shahbaz Bhatti and several other examples…..therefore it is fact that Yousaf family is also under the sward.
The Christians’ True Spirit (CTS) is writing letter to the UN Special Rapporteur, President EU Parliament and US Commission for Religious Freedom International on the Question of Freedom of Faith and Beliefs calling for intervention into this matter and immediate rescue of the oppressed family.
Note:
Mostly blasphemy cases are fabricated upon property matters and business jealousy against religious minorities and weak groups by the powerful cunning Muslims / extremists in Pakistan. In several cases Christian properties even residential places are taken in possession by the greedy groups/land mafia belong to majority. It is very hard to make understand common Muslims/mob that there is nothing to do with blasphemy or religion, but their deep emotions of love for Islam are used as a device by extremists and so called clerics to cut the necks of innocent to fulfill their personal interests.
The other hand the people who are accused under this law, become live dead. They live remaining life continually hiding, as no right to live and can be killed by any beloved of Mohammad. Being threatened they have no peaceful life and live in a continue fear to lose the family and face great risk. It is an extreme level of persecution, when someone is not alive even not dead.
Need prayers for Pakistan……….