Gunmen attack Pak lawyer defending blasphemy case

A lawyer, who is defending a university lecturer accused of blasphemy, was attacked by unknown gunmen at his residence in Multan in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said today.
Lawyer Shahbaz Gormani escaped unhurt after motorcycle- borne gunmen opened fire at his residence in the late hours yesterday, a senior police official said.
The gunmen also left a letter warning him to withdraw from the case or face death.
The government needs to provide protection to lawyers and victims in blasphemy cases as things were now getting out of hand, Gormani told reporters.
Gormani had been appointed as defence lawyer in the case after gunmen shot dead Rashid Rehman, a defence counsel for lecturer Junaid Hafeez in May.

Rehman was a high profile human rights lawyer and his killers are yet to be arrested.

Hafeez, a lecturer at Bahauddin Zakariya University, is accused of making derogatory remarks against the Prophet last year.
Hafeez was known for his liberal views at the university and the blasphemy case was only registered following pressure from right-wing student groups.
"We are investigating the incident," police official, Muhammad Akram said.