May 09, 2023
In the city of Mardan, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan, a local cleric fell victim to a tragic incident on May 6th. The cleric was attacked and killed by a mob following accusations of making a blasphemous reference during a political rally affiliated with the party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In the city of Mardan, Pakistan, a deeply disturbing incident unfolded on May 6th that highlighted the volatile atmosphere surrounding blasphemy allegations. A local cleric named Maulana Nigar Alam was tragically killed by a mob after he made a statement during a political rally for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan. During his address, Alam allegedly said, "Imran Khan is a truthful person, and I respect him as much as the Prophet."
However, his words were misconstrued and deemed blasphemous by some attendees, igniting a violent response. The rally, organized to express support for both Imran Khan and the judiciary, took a dark turn when a group of rally-goers turned against Alam. Police intervened and moved him to a shop for his safety, but negotiations with the clerics were disrupted when the mob, primarily composed of PTI activists, broke into the shop and forcibly extracted Alam. What followed was a horrifying act of mob violence—Alam was kicked, beaten with rods, and ultimately lynched to death.
The appalling incident was recorded on video and swiftly spread across social media platforms, exposing the brutal reality of the events that unfolded. Sadly, this event marks the second occurrence of mob violence resulting in murder in Pakistan in 2023. An earlier incident in Nankana Sahib, Punjab Province, where a man suspected of blasphemy was lynched on February 11th, serves as a grim reminder of the deeply entrenched issue.
Mardan itself has experienced similar horrifying incidents in the past. A tragic case that remains etched in memory is that of Mashal Khan, a student at Abdul Wali Khan University, who was killed on April 13, 2017, on accusations of blasphemy. These incidents underscore the concerning misuse of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which carry grave penalties, including the death penalty or life imprisonment. The laws, often vague in their definitions and evidence requirements, can be exploited to settle personal scores or disputes over various matters.
In the wake of this tragic event and others like it, there is a pressing need for not only awareness but also advocacy for the protection of human rights and the principles of justice and fairness.