A man accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has been shot dead in a courtroom during his trial in the northern city of Peshawar.
He had been facing charges for allegedly claiming to be a prophet.
#GhaziKhalid
#غازی_خالد_تیری_جرات_کو_سلام
Blasphemy is legally punishable by death. No-one has been executed for it by the state but accusations can often lead to violent attacks.
The victim, Tahir Ahmad Naseem, was accused of blasphemy in 2018 by a teenager.
He was killed at a trial hearing on Wednesday morning. Video shared on social media shows his body slumped over the court’s seats.
His attacker was arrested at the scene. Another video shows him in handcuffs, shouting angrily that his victim was an “enemy of Islam”.
According to police, a man named Khalid opened fire inside the courtroom in Judicial Complex Peshawar, killing Tahir Ahmed on the spot.
According to police, the deceased was identified as Tahir Ahmad, a resident of the Pushtkhara area, who was brought to the court for trial.
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Mr. Naseem was first accused of blasphemy by Awais Malik, a madrassa student from Peshawar. Mr. Naseem had struck up an online conversation with him whilst living in the United States.
Mr. Malik told the BBC he had then met Mr. Naseem in a shopping mall in Peshawar to discuss his views on religion, after which he filed a case against him with the police.
He said he had not been present at court and had no knowledge of the shooting. The suspect arrested for the killing has been named Khalid. It is not clear how he managed to bring a weapon into the court premises.
Check the real smile of this islam comander
Insha alllah every one receive the hell who will do that type of shitt.#GhaziKhalid #غازی_خالد_تیری_جرات_کو_سلام pic.twitter.com/UQ94wkzDXA— SIAL TV | #ENGvWI #ENGvPAK #IPL13 #IPL2020 (@sialtv) July 30, 2020
According to the police, a case of blasphemy was registered against the victim in 2018 at Sarband police station.
Ghazi Khalid, a resident of Board Bazaar, confessed to the murder when he was arrested after the shooting.
According to SP Cantt Hassan Jahangir, the police are getting information with the help of CCTV camera footage in the Judicial Complex while they are also investigating the killer where he got the pistol from.
Mr. Naseem was born into the persecuted Ahmadi sect, according to a spokesman for the community. But he added that he had left the sect and claimed to be a prophet himself.
The community leader suggested Mr. Naseem had been mentally ill – he had uploaded videos to YouTube claiming to be a messiah.
