A court in the central Punjab city of Bahawalnagar,...

A court in the central Punjab city of Bahawalnagar, Pakistan, sentenced to death Bashir Ahmed, a man who claimed to be a Muslim prophet, after convicting him of blasphemy. Prosecutors said Ahmed gathered followers in nearby Basti Juliani village by paying villagers to come to hear his sermons. His preaching and growing band of followers sparked resentment among local people, who complained to police. Police raided Ahmed's house and arrested him, dismissing statements by his family that he was mentally unbalanced. Blasphemy is punishable by death under Pakistani law. However, no blasphemy convict has ever been executed in the Islamic republic.