Christian labourer in Pak jailed for blasphemy

A Christian labourer in Pakistan was today sent to jail by a court here under the country's controversial blasphemy law for allegedly making blasphemous comments.
Pervaiz Masih, who was arrested on September 1 in Kasur district of Punjab province for allegedly committing blasphemy, was sent to judicial remand by a court after his three-day physical remand expired, police sources said.
The accused, who is in 20s, was working on a construction site at Mandi Usman Wala in Karur, about 60 kilometers from here, with six Muslim colleagues when the incident occurred, they said.
"They first beat him severely and then handed him over to the Usman Wala police station," they said.

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence.
A Christian man and his pregnant wife were beaten by a mob and then thrown into a furnace of a kiln in Kot Radhkishan last year for allegedly committing blasphemy.
Over 50 people have been indicted in the case which is pending in the Anti-Terrorism Court Lahore.