Two Muslim women booked for blasphemy in Pakistan

LAHORE: Two Muslim women have been booked under blasphemy charges for allegedly burning pages of the Quran in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said on Tuesday.

The principal of a private school Shahnaz Khan and her chef Shazia Karamat have been booked under section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of a local Imam (prayer leader) Kashif Ali at Rai Kalan village of Kasur district, some 50 km from here.

Both the women in question and their families have fled the village following an announcement by Kashif Ali from his mosque that they (women) had burnt the pages of the Quran on Saturday, police officer Khalid Saleem told PTI.

A heavy contingent of police also reached there to avert any untoward incident, he said, adding, Shahnaz Khan went into hiding before the charged mob could reach the house and her school.

Last week, Punjab police said they had booked two young Christian sisters under blasphemy charges against them.

Samia Masih and Sonia Masih, both in their 20s, allegedly threw a sack containing the pages of the Quran outside their house in Gojra, Toba Tek Singh district, some 200 km from here, on August 7.

Meanwhile, Minorities Alliance Pakistan chairman Advocate Akmal Bhatti said that the desecration allegations against the Christian sisters are false.