Slain Pak governor's son booked for 'hate speech' following Christmas message

Lahore [Pakistan], Jan. 01 (ANI): Son of slain Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, Shaan Taseer, has been booked for his alleged 'hate speech' after sending a greeting out to fellow countrymen on the occasion of Christmas. An FIR was registered on Saturday after Islampura Police Station received an application from its SHO Nasir Hameed and subsequently booked Shaan under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) without naming him in the report. However, religious organisation Sunni Tehreek is pressing the police to register a case against Shaan under Section 295-C of PPC, reports the Express Tribune. According to the SHO, he received a video message in a USB wherein a man was wishing his viewers Merry Christmas and requesting fellow countrymen to pray for minority members being exploited by, what he called, the "inhumane blasphemy law". The man also requested prayers for blasphemy victims including Asia Bibi, Nabeel Masih and their families, and all other Pakistanis languishing in jails on charges of blasphemy, the SHO added. According to the FIR, the man who made the speech in the video had made a mockery of the blasphemy law and hurt religious sentiments of Muslims. Meanwhile, Sunni Tehreek Lahore chapter president Mujahid Abdul, who had filed an application at Mughalpura Police Station for registration of an FIR against Shaan under Section 295-C of PPC, accused the police of trying to protect Shaan by registering FIR against an unidentified man. Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was killed by one of his security guards for his statements in support of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman charged with blasphemy, and criticism of the existing blasphemy law. (ANI)