Asif Hassan—AFP
The Muslim men are accused of desecrating a Sikh’s turban.
Five people appeared in court on Tuesday, accused of blasphemy, after a Sikh man complained they had desecrated his turban during a scuffle over a delayed bus.
Mahindar Paul Singh, 29, went to police after the clash on Sunday during a journey from Faisalabad to Multan. “Five people in this case have been apprehended,” said Chichawatni police investigator Abdul Sattar.
Blasphemy carries the death penalty and is a hugely sensitive issue in Muslim-majority Pakistan, where even unproven allegations can spark mob violence. The five, all Muslims, appeared in court for a hearing in Chichawatni on Tuesday, police said.
Singh said the clash came after he and other passengers complained when their bus broke down during the journey. “The staff [of the bus company] misbehaved, pushed me and threw my turban, which is very sacred, away,” he said. “They desecrated my religious symbol so I decided to lodge a blasphemy case.”