42 Christians accused of murder in Pakistan told 'acquittal is guaranteed' if they embrace Islam

Islamabad: In a shocking statement, a senior Pakistani prosecutor asked dozens of Christians to embrace Islam to avoid conviction in the killing of two Muslims in mass violence two years ago.

Violence erupted in Youhanabad, the Christian neighbourhood of Lahore, on March 15, 2015, after suicide blasts targeted Sunday mass in two churches.

Forty-two Christians were charged with the lynching of two Muslim men, whom they suspected to be involved in the blasts.

Joseph Franci, a rights activist who is legally assisting the accused, said that Deputy District Public Prosecutor (DDPP) Syed Anees Shah told the accused that they can be acquitted if they renounce Christianity, reported The Express Tribune.

"He told them if they embrace Islam, he can guarantee them their acquittal in this case," Joseph said.

The activist added that the accused stayed silent and were stupefied.

Naseeb Anjum Advocate said that the public prosecutor`s offer was not new and added that he had also given this offer to some of the accused about six months back but they rejected it.

"They believe in the independence of the court, but why is the DDPP blackmailing them?" he asked.

"The government should get rid of such elements that bring a bad name to the state by such acts."

Shah, when contacted, said that he did not ask them to embrace Islam, but conceded that he offered them a choice when he was told that the accused have a video recording of what he said, the report said.

The minorities in Pakistan in the past have been accusing Muslim clerics of forcibly converting them to Islam but it is for the first time that a state functionary used conversion as an incentive to dodge legal proceeding.

(With PTI inputs)