A prominent Pakistani YouTuber, Rajab Butt, has landed into controversy and has been charged with blasphemy after he launched a perfume named “295”. According to the reports in Dawn, he has been blamed for referring to the controversial blasphemy law of the country.
It is not the first time that Butt has landed into a controversy. The YouTuber has millions of followers and has faced legal troubles, including brief custody of a lion cub. And now, his latest move has once again sparked a nationwide debate and has resulted in serious charges.
Launch of perfume 295 -
Butt took his social media to introduce his perfume ‘295,’ and mentioned that the name of the perfume is linked to a legal case against him. It is to be noted that the video has been deleted. Currently, the perfume brand has been surrounded by widespread criticism.
According to the reports, an official complaint has been filed by a radical Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader - Haider Ali Shah Gillani.
While submitting the complaint, Gillani mentioned, “Our religious sentiments have been hurt. There are numerous sections in the penal code, but why did he choose blasphemy-related sections to name a perfume? This means you acknowledge the offense and are celebrating it. This is essentially an attempt to normalize such actions,” according to the reports by the news agency AFP.
A charge sheet was released by the police on Tuesday, which included cases like blasphemy and cybercrime offenses. It is to be noted that blasphemy charges are considered to be highly sensitive in Pakistan and can lead to violent backlash in public, which could also result in mob violence and lynchings.
According to the reports, Butt might face up to 10 years in prison.
Butt issues a public apology -
An apology video has been released by Butt on Sunday, following the outrage. In the video, he explained that he did not want to oppose the blasphemy laws of the nation. He issued the apology while holding the Holy Book of Muslims - the Quran.
In the video, he was quoted saying, “I apologize for the words I uttered during the launch of the perfume. I apologize and announce the discontinuation of this perfume.”
He furthermore mentioned, “The charges against me, specifically the 295 charge, are false. I have been unjustly accused and charged. A fatwa [Islamic ruling] has also been issued against me. I request your understanding and forgiveness.”