MULTAN: Shopping centres and markets remained closed in Jatoi and Permit towns of Muzaffargarh district on Wednesday following a case of blasphemy there. The police arrested the alleged blasphemer and sent him to Muzaffargarh prison. “We have saved lives and property by registering two cases against toll tax contactor Sattari Gopang under blasphemy law for making objectionable remarks about Prophet Muhammad (SDPO Rafiullah Niazi said that a truck driver had failed to pay the toll-tax at Jatoi on Monday. The staff took the driver to Gopang who asked him to pay Rs 5000 as fine. The driver then asked him to forgive him for “the sake of Allah and Prophet Muhammad (
Gopang then allegedly used abusive language about Allah, the Prophet and Islam. Hearing of this, hundreds gathered at the scene and beat up the contractor. Local religious leaders made an announcement on mosque loudspeakers. SDPO Niazi said an unofficial inquiry was held in the presence of local clerics and the district nazim which established that Gopang had indeed blasphemed. Local clerics threatened to take matters into their own hands if any lawyer dared represent the accused. A violent mob set four shops, a plaza and toll tax offices on fire. They also burnt tyres and blocked the National Highway. However, the police did not allow them to march on GopangÂ’s house. More than 5000 people demonstrated in Jatoi and there was a complete strike ni Jhuggiwala, Meerwala, Sabaiwala, Jehanpur, Phullan Sharif, Hamzay wali, Alipur, Noorwah and Jhlareen on Tuesday.