LAHORE: The Gujranwala police have arrested a member of Ahmadiya community on blasphemy charges for distributing Niaz (free food and drinks) on the 10th of Muharram (Youm-i-Ashur).

The FIR against the suspect was lodged with the Satellite Town Police Station on the complaint of a Hafizabad Road resident, Faizan Ahmad, under section 298 (c) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The law prohibits the members of Ahmadiya community from calling themselves Muslims, referring to their religious beliefs as Islam, preaching or propagating their religious beliefs and inviting others to accept Ahmadi teachings.In the FIR, the complainant said the incident took place on July 6 at 4:30pm when he saw the suspect distributing free food and drink during Muharram, “posing as a Muslim”.

He said that the suspect was distributing biryani as langar, “identifying himself as a Muslim and speaking and acting like a Muslim.” He said that he immediately contacted two other Muslims who reached the site to question the suspect.

“As we reached there, the suspect fled the scene”, the complainant said, adding that later it transpired that the suspect, was a member of the Ahmadiya community and was “deliberately misleading the Muslims.” A senior police official says that the suspect has been arrested and sent to jail by the court on judicial remand for seven days. — Staff Reporter