<p>Junaid Jamshed, a pop star-turned- preacher and televangelist facing probe for his alleged blasphemous comments, has fled Pakistan and has no immediate plans to return to the country.<br /><br />The Karachi police opened an investigation against Junaid after a video that went viral showed the 50-year-old evangelist allegedly making some blasphemous comments.<br />His comments were described as blasphemous by different religious groups and the Sunni Tehreek has been holding protest demonstrations to demand he be booked for blasphemy.<br /><br />The former singer, who was part of the pop band Vital Signs, is presently in hiding in London and has no immediate plans to return to Pakistan, a member of the Tableeghi Jamaat said.<br /><br />The former pop star, who gave up singing in 2004 after joining the Tableeghi Jamaat - a Sunni Muslim evangelical organisation known for its rigidly conservative views - has since apologised for his comments and asked for forgiveness from the Muslim community.<br /><br />"This is my mistake and it happened because of my ignorance and lack of knowledge and I seek forgiveness from the Muslim world," he said, adding, "I request my brothers to forgive me and I am thankful to them for pointing out my mistake, it happened unintentionally and I seek forgiveness".<br /><br />His critics, however, are not relenting and Mohammad Mobin Qadri, a Sunni Tehreek leader, said this was "irrelevant" and his apology would be considered only after he surrenders to the police.<br /><br />"He must answer for his blasphemy and he has to be arrested first under the blasphemy law which is applicable to everyone and anyone," Qadri said.<br /><br />Maulana Tariq Jameel, who is associated with the Tableeghi Jamaat, also appealed for forgiveness for Junaid, whom he described as a "servant of Islam".<br /><br />The former singer is maintaining his innocence, but looked devastated after the controversy. "I never thought I would ever receive so much pain from the people of my country," he tweeted.<br /><br />The number of blasphemy cases being lodged with police in Pakistan has been steadily rising in recent years. Even unproven allegations often prompt mob retribution.<br /><br />On November 4, a Christian labourer and his pregnant wife were beaten by a mob of 1,500 people then thrown on top of a lit furnace in a crazed reaction to rumours they had thrown pages of the Koran into the garbage. </p>
<p>Junaid Jamshed, a pop star-turned- preacher and televangelist facing probe for his alleged blasphemous comments, has fled Pakistan and has no immediate plans to return to the country.<br /><br />The Karachi police opened an investigation against Junaid after a video that went viral showed the 50-year-old evangelist allegedly making some blasphemous comments.<br />His comments were described as blasphemous by different religious groups and the Sunni Tehreek has been holding protest demonstrations to demand he be booked for blasphemy.<br /><br />The former singer, who was part of the pop band Vital Signs, is presently in hiding in London and has no immediate plans to return to Pakistan, a member of the Tableeghi Jamaat said.<br /><br />The former pop star, who gave up singing in 2004 after joining the Tableeghi Jamaat - a Sunni Muslim evangelical organisation known for its rigidly conservative views - has since apologised for his comments and asked for forgiveness from the Muslim community.<br /><br />"This is my mistake and it happened because of my ignorance and lack of knowledge and I seek forgiveness from the Muslim world," he said, adding, "I request my brothers to forgive me and I am thankful to them for pointing out my mistake, it happened unintentionally and I seek forgiveness".<br /><br />His critics, however, are not relenting and Mohammad Mobin Qadri, a Sunni Tehreek leader, said this was "irrelevant" and his apology would be considered only after he surrenders to the police.<br /><br />"He must answer for his blasphemy and he has to be arrested first under the blasphemy law which is applicable to everyone and anyone," Qadri said.<br /><br />Maulana Tariq Jameel, who is associated with the Tableeghi Jamaat, also appealed for forgiveness for Junaid, whom he described as a "servant of Islam".<br /><br />The former singer is maintaining his innocence, but looked devastated after the controversy. "I never thought I would ever receive so much pain from the people of my country," he tweeted.<br /><br />The number of blasphemy cases being lodged with police in Pakistan has been steadily rising in recent years. Even unproven allegations often prompt mob retribution.<br /><br />On November 4, a Christian labourer and his pregnant wife were beaten by a mob of 1,500 people then thrown on top of a lit furnace in a crazed reaction to rumours they had thrown pages of the Koran into the garbage. </p>