With a soaring number of blasphemy allegations in Pakistan in 2023, rights activists are reiterating demands for legislation against blatant abuse of the country’s notorious blasphemy laws.
At least 329 persons were accused of blasphemy under the law in 2023, according to the Center for Social Justice (CSJ), an advocacy group based in Lahore. Among those accused, 247 were Muslims, 65 were Ahmadis, 11 were Christians and one was Hindu, while the religious affiliation of five others was unknown.
There has been a spike in blasphemy allegations in recent years, according to Lahore High Court attorney Lazar Allah Rakha.
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“The state must legislate against false accusations of blasphemy, because this abuse hangs like the sword of Damocles on the heads of all citizens regardless of their faith affiliations,” Rakha told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “The situation has aggravated to the extent that people are now being targeted over minor disputes on almost a daily basis.”
‘Entire system needs to be reviewed’
Due to the risks attached to blasphemy cases, judges tend to adjourn hearings, which results in prolonged incarceration of suspects, which Rakha said is a serious violation of their human rights.
“The entire system needs to be reviewed in the larger interest of justice,” said the attorney, who has successfully defended many people falsely accused of blasphemy.
Punjab Province had the highest number of people accused of blasphemy, with 179, followed by 79 in Sindh Province, 37 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 32 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan, according to the CSJ report. It added that seven persons accused of blasphemy were killed extra-judicially in 2023, including four in Punjab and one each in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir.
Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by Morning Star News.
