Pakistan: A teenager who cut off his hand out of fear of punishment in the afterlife
A 15-year-old Pakistani boy, who felt guilty for insulting the sanctities of Islam and failing to perform his religious duties, cut off his own hand. Pakistani police confirmed the report on Friday, January 15, saying the incident occurred a few days ago in a village located 125 kilometers from Lahore in the northeast of the country.
According to Nasher Ahmed, the local police chief, the Pakistani teenager had recently attended a speech at the mosque where he lives. At the ceremony, the imam of the congregation had emphasized the need to perform religious duties. The imam had also asked the attendees who were neglecting religious duties and prayers.
The same source adds that the Pakistani teenager, who did not understand the question correctly, raised his hand in the affirmative, which immediately led to accusations from those around him that he had not performed his religious duties and had committed a sin. Publisher Ahmad said: After returning home, the Pakistani teenager cut off the same hand that he had raised during the ceremony, put it in a tray, and took it to the Imam of the congregation.
Referring to a video posted online of a Pakistani teenager's severed hand, publisher Ahmad said: "In these images, villagers praise the teenager, and his parents say they are proud of their son."
According to this Pakistani police source, no complaint or investigation has been submitted to the police so far regarding the Pakistani teenager's actions.
Blasphemy and failure to perform religious duties are sensitive issues in this country. In Pakistan, a country of 200 million people, the simplest accusations about religious and ethnic issues can turn into a national disaster.
