Outrage sparked on Twitter after a Pakistani Twitter user ‘Maruf Zaidi‘ accused of committing Blasphemy by saying inappropriate words about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in one of his Twitter post.
According to details, on the evening of July 28, 2020, a Screenshot circulated on Twitter in Pakistan which shows a Twitter user Maruf Zaidi saying Blasphemous words about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Screenshot of his tweet (which seems a reply to the tweet of another Twitter user Mahnoor) became viral and people are demanding the arrest of Maruf Zaidi. See the Screenshot, below.
Thousands of Twitter users have been showing their anger over his Blasphemous tweet and a hashtag #BlasphemourMarufZaidi is trending.
It all started with a Tweet of Mahnoor (Twitter handle: @mahnoorism_) embedded above. The accused quoted his tweet with some Blasphemous statement which he deleted later after observing the outrage. The accused Maruf Zaidi has also deleted his Twitter account after the accusations.
A similar blasphemous statement was made by another Twitter account Run by the name of Maruf Haider (which users suspect the second Twitter account of the same person Maruf Zaidi). The second Twitter account has been also deleted.
However many people have already taken the Screenshots of his Blasphemous tweets made by both accounts. (The authenticity of these Screenshots is yet unverified).
Public Reaction to Blasphemous Tweet of Maruf Zaidi
Blasphemy is one of the biggest crimes according to Pakistan’s law and people have no mercy against such an act. The Pakistan Penal Code, the main criminal code of Pakistan, punishes blasphemy (Urdu: قانون توہین رسالت) against any recognized religion, providing penalties ranging from a fine to death.
People reacted naturally with anger.
A Twitter user Hasnain Qasimi shared the photo of Accused and wrote: tweet reads “The person below is @marufzaidi Who commited blasphemy of Holy Prohet Mohammad SAW..We are utterly on strike against this bluddy person and are strongly demanding the government to treat him as per law…Please raise voice for your Love; Mohammad ﷺ 💖.”
Another Twitter user Ali Haider shared the alleged Screenshot images and wrote: “Arrest these blasphemours of Muhammad SAAW and Ali AS and treat them according to law of land,,,, #BlasphemourMarufZaidi.”
Ayaz Wrote: “If you want to hav these kinda views go live in a place where hurting others feelings are acceptable! Disrespecting my Master SAWW for fake fame of this world isn’t going to help you in anyway, May Allah curse the enemies of Prophet SAWW and his Family a.s!,,, #BlasphemourMarufZaidi.”
Aqsamm said: “To the so called liberals: Being trendy, talking shit about the respected personalities of Islam won’t make you cool. We request @CyberCrimepak to please look into this matter. We can’t bear even a single word against Muhammad (PBUH) and Aal e Muhammad (A.S).”
On other hands, dozens of liberal accounts stepped forward and trying to favour Maruf Zaidi by alleging Mahnoor and others for photoshopping the viral Screenshots. Some liberals even created fake accounts on the name of Mahnoor and started propaganda against her (such as she was in quarrel with Maruf that’s why she doctored these Screenshots, etc..)
Cybercrime wing of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) hasn’t responded to the matter yet.