News Desk
LAHORE, Pakistan – July 19, 2025:
A 60-year-old Catholic man from Nishat Colony was arrested and charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws on Saturday after a verbal altercation with a local Muslim shopkeeper allegedly turned into a blasphemy accusation.
The man, Amir Peter, was taken into custody by Lahore police and booked under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which prescribes the death penalty for anyone found guilty of insulting the Prophet Muhammad. The case was registered based on a complaint by Sanor Ali, a local shopkeeper.
The incident reportedly began when Peter visited Ali’s shop to purchase groceries on Saturday morning. A disagreement over pricing led to a heated exchange between the two men. Witnesses told local residents that the altercation escalated, and Ali allegedly assaulted Peter during the argument.
“Amir was upset after being overcharged for some basic items,” said Jamil, a neighbor of the accused. “There was a shouting match, but there was no mention of religion. It was clearly a dispute over pricing. We were shocked to hear about the blasphemy charge just a few hours later.”
According to the sources near to the family, Peter returned home visibly distressed and bruised after the confrontation but was soon picked up by police and taken into custody.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) lodged by Sanor Ali, Peter allegedly insulted the Prophet Muhammad during their conversation. The complaint claims that Peter expressed frustration about living in Pakistan and then used blasphemous language.
However, Jamil and other local residents questioned the credibility of the complaint.
“I’ve known Amir for many years,” Jamil said. “He’s a soft-spoken, religious man who avoids conflict. The allegations in the FIR seem exaggerated, and no specific derogatory words were even mentioned in the report. It looks like a personal dispute turned into something much more dangerous.”
Peter, who retired four years ago from a government college position, is the elder brother of Rev. Henry Paul, the parish priest at St. Francis Church in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat area.
Speaking to the media, Rev. Paul stated, “The accusation against my brother is entirely baseless. He has been falsely implicated because he objected to unfair pricing at a local shop. We had hoped the police would investigate before registering such a serious charge, but they moved swiftly and harshly.”
Sources close to the family allege that Peter was beaten during police custody and pressured to confess to the charges. His family plans to request a medical examination to document signs of physical abuse, including bruises on his face and body.
Peter remains in custody as the investigation continues. His legal counsel has not yet been formally appointed, but the family is preparing to challenge the FIR and seek bail. No charge sheet has been submitted to the court so far.