Activist Arfana Mallah Forced To Apologise For Condemning Professor's Arrest On Blasphemy Charges

Dr Arfana Mallah, social activist and professor at University of Sindh, Jamshoro has tendered apology to "all those hurt" by her earlier remarks, two weeks after she was harassed by extremist individuals belonging to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) who had also threatened to lodge a blasphemy case against her.

The academician had earlier condemned the arrest of faculty member, professor Sajid Soomro under blasphemy charges. The faculty member was arrested on June 10 from his house in Ali Murad Mohalla, Khairpur city. Police personnel in four vans had cordoned off the area to materialise the arrest. Soomro is renowned for his books on Sindhi-Mohajir unity.

https://twitter.com/smendhro/status/1276869558905733130

Earlier on June 11, Aurat March condemned JUI-F attempt to, what they called, ‘provoke violence’ against the academician and women’s rights activist Dr Arfana Mallah. In a statement, all chapters of the organisation had denounced the party's leader Rashid Mahmood Soomro for threatening to file FIR against Dr Arfana who had condemned the faculty member's arrest.

The organisers of Aurat March had noted that the charges of blasphemy are often used to silent progressive voices and those standing against corrupt practices. “We demand the Sindh government and local police to ensure Dr Mallah’s immediate safety and protection,” they had said in the statement.