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| Pakistani Guard Shoots Prisoner Convicted of Blasphemy | Pakistani Guard Shoots Prisoner Convicted of Blasphemy |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| LAHORE, Pakistan — A British citizen of Pakistani descent who had been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges was wounded Thursday after a prison guard opened fire on him in Rawalpindi, police officials said. | LAHORE, Pakistan — A British citizen of Pakistani descent who had been sentenced to death on blasphemy charges was wounded Thursday after a prison guard opened fire on him in Rawalpindi, police officials said. |
| The prisoner, identified as Muhammad Asghar, 70, was taken to a hospital and his condition was stable, officials said. | The prisoner, identified as Muhammad Asghar, 70, was taken to a hospital and his condition was stable, officials said. |
| Mr. Asghar was arrested in 2010 on blasphemy charges after being accused of distributing letters claiming he was a prophet, and he was sentenced to death in January. His family has said he has a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia. | Mr. Asghar was arrested in 2010 on blasphemy charges after being accused of distributing letters claiming he was a prophet, and he was sentenced to death in January. His family has said he has a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia. |
| He appealed the conviction and was meanwhile serving time in the Adiala jail, a high-security prison in the military garrison city of Rawalpindi, in Punjab Province near the capital, Islamabad. | He appealed the conviction and was meanwhile serving time in the Adiala jail, a high-security prison in the military garrison city of Rawalpindi, in Punjab Province near the capital, Islamabad. |
| On Thursday morning, a prison guard believed to be in his 20s walked up to Mr. Asghar’s cell and shot him with a pistol, officials said. It remained unclear what prompted the attack, but officials speculated that the guard was motivated by religion. | On Thursday morning, a prison guard believed to be in his 20s walked up to Mr. Asghar’s cell and shot him with a pistol, officials said. It remained unclear what prompted the attack, but officials speculated that the guard was motivated by religion. |
| “The attacker has been arrested,” said Abdul Majeed, a local police official. “It is being investigated how the guard managed to take a pistol inside the prison,” he said. | “The attacker has been arrested,” said Abdul Majeed, a local police official. “It is being investigated how the guard managed to take a pistol inside the prison,” he said. |
| Mr. Asghar was shot at least once through the back. The prisons’ police chief for Punjab, Farooq Nazir, said that eight police officials had been suspended for negligence and that an inquiry had been ordered. | Mr. Asghar was shot at least once through the back. The prisons’ police chief for Punjab, Farooq Nazir, said that eight police officials had been suspended for negligence and that an inquiry had been ordered. |
| Under Pakistan’s legal code, blasphemy convictions can lead to the death penalty. Often, however, mere accusations of blasphemy have led to vigilante attacks and killings before cases can reach the court. | Under Pakistan’s legal code, blasphemy convictions can lead to the death penalty. Often, however, mere accusations of blasphemy have led to vigilante attacks and killings before cases can reach the court. |
| In one of the most high-profile cases, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, was shot to death in 2011 by one of his elite police guards. Mr. Taseer was a vocal proponent of reforms to the blasphemy laws, which critics say are commonly misused to settle personal enmities, silence opponents and prosecute religious minorities. | In one of the most high-profile cases, Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, was shot to death in 2011 by one of his elite police guards. Mr. Taseer was a vocal proponent of reforms to the blasphemy laws, which critics say are commonly misused to settle personal enmities, silence opponents and prosecute religious minorities. |
| Last week, a Pakistani scholar accused of blasphemy was shot and killed in the southern port city of Karachi. The scholar, Muhammad Shakil Auj, was the dean of Islamic studies at the state-run University of Karachi. | Last week, a Pakistani scholar accused of blasphemy was shot and killed in the southern port city of Karachi. The scholar, Muhammad Shakil Auj, was the dean of Islamic studies at the state-run University of Karachi. |
| Mr. Asghar, who is from Edinburgh, has a history of mental illness and suffers from schizophrenia, his family told Pakistani news outlets. After coming to Pakistan, he was arrested in 2010 in Sadiqabad, a town in southern Punjab. | Mr. Asghar, who is from Edinburgh, has a history of mental illness and suffers from schizophrenia, his family told Pakistani news outlets. After coming to Pakistan, he was arrested in 2010 in Sadiqabad, a town in southern Punjab. |
| After he was sentenced to death this year, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain told the House of Commons that the British government was closely watching the case. | After he was sentenced to death this year, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain told the House of Commons that the British government was closely watching the case. |
| The attack led to an immediate outcry by rights activists, and renewed calls to repeal the blasphemy laws. | The attack led to an immediate outcry by rights activists, and renewed calls to repeal the blasphemy laws. |
| David Griffiths, the Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International, condemned the shooting. | David Griffiths, the Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International, condemned the shooting. |
| “This attack shows that even on death row, someone accused of blasphemy is not safe from vigilante violence,” Mr. Griffiths said in a statement. | “This attack shows that even on death row, someone accused of blasphemy is not safe from vigilante violence,” Mr. Griffiths said in a statement. |
| Muhammad Asghar “has faced multiple threats already — there must be a prompt and thorough investigation into how such an appalling security breach could happen,” Mr. Griffiths said. | |
| “He and others accused of blasphemy urgently need protection.” |