Popular YouTuber Rajab Butt is in hot water again and this time facing charges under blasphemy and cybercrime laws in Pakistan. The controversy started when he launched a perfume named “295” in a reference to Pakistan’s blasphemy law under Section 295 of the Penal Code.
Rajab Butt who has millions of followers has been a controversial figure for years. He was previously charged with blasphemy over a past video and now his perfume launch has reignited the issue. His choice of the name “295” didn’t sit well with religious groups who saw it as mocking the law.
A leader from the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party named Haider Ali Shah Gillani filed a police complaint (FIR) in Lahore, accusing Rajab Butt of spreading “anti-religious content” in his videos. The case has been registered under:
- Section 295-A (insulting religious beliefs)
- Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 (hate speech online)
The FIR claims that in his now-deleted video, Rajab Buttt
talked about his previous blasphemy case and the charges against him. He compared himself to Sidhu Moose Wala, an Indian singer who had also referenced “295” in a song. He announced the launch of his perfume named after the law.
This angered many people who are blaming him for hurting religious sentiments.
Rajab Butt quickly issued an apology video after realizing blackbash saying:
He never intended to disrespect the blasphemy law.
He regrets his words from the perfume launch.
He is discontinuing the perfume to avoid further controversy.
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However, the police are taking the matter seriously. Authorities are saying Rajab Butt will be arrested upon his return to Pakistan since he is currently performing Umrah. A senior police officer, Faisal Kamran, stated that the Pakistan Ulema Council (a religious body) will be consulted for its opinion on the matter. He warned that people should be very careful about their statements on religion, especially on social media.
This is not the first time Rajab Butt has been in legal trouble. Earlier this year he pleaded guilty to illegally keeping a lion cub after receiving it as a wedding gift. To avoid jail time, he agreed to post animal rights awareness videos for a year.
