A group of 68 lawyers in Pakistan are reportedly facing blasphemy charges for reportedly shouting "insulting" slogans in protest against a police chief named after a revered follower of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
According to the Nation, the incident came when lawyers in Jhang rose up against local police chief Umar Daraz after one of their colleagues was allegedly manhandled by officers following a road accident last week.
A senior Pakistani police official Ghulam Mustafa said that a blasphemy case has been registered against eight lawyers and about 60 others after a citizen complained that they were shouting slogans derogatory to a caliph of Islam and a companion of the hold prophet.
If found guilty, the lawyers could be sentenced to three years in prison.
Meanwhile, a local lawyer, Mushtaq Chaudhry, said that his colleagues were not shouting slogans against the caliph Umar, but his police namesake.
Chaudhry said that the Bar Association has also passed a resolution that slogans were not raised against any sacred personality of Islam.
Mohammad Afzal Sayal, the president of Jhang Bar Association, said the protest was against the local police station chief but "certain elements tried to exploit it, adding that the blasphemy case was brought after pressure from Maulana Ahmad Ludhianvi, the head of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), the report added.
