Pakistani Court Orders Probe into Blasphemy Law Misuse

Islamabad, Jul 16 (PTI) A Pakistani court has mandated the central government to establish a commission within 30 days to investigate alleged abuses of the country's blasphemy laws. These laws, historically controversial and feared, often lead to mob violence or targeted killings independent of formal legal procedures.

The Islamabad High Court, presided over by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, called for the investigation as part of a case rife with multiple blasphemy complaints. These laws were reinforced during military ruler Ziaul Haq's regime in the 1980s, purportedly to protect religious sanctity but also interpreted as a move to court support from religious factions.

Allegations have arisen that officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), alongside lawyers and others, have entrapped individuals into sharing material considered blasphemous. These individuals were then extorted for money under threat of legal action. Those refusing to comply faced blasphemy charges, making them vulnerable to extrajudicial violence by extremist factions. Over the years, many accused under these laws have faced death outside the judiciary’s purview.

The case was initially filed in September last year, culminating in a directive after 42 court hearings. The high court has now instructed the federal government to form the investigation commission. The commission must conclude its inquiry within four months, although extensions are possible with court approval.

Statistics from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) indicate that, between 1947 and 2021, 701 blasphemy cases were registered against 1,415 individuals—1,308 men and 107 women—with 89 people killed and 30 injured in related incidents. The surge in cases is attributed to Ziaul Haq's 1986 amendments that made blasphemy a capital offense. Before these changes, significantly fewer cases were reported.

The National Commission for Human Rights' latest report highlights an alarming rise in blasphemy charges, partly fueled by online entrapment involving pornographic and blasphemous content. The report ties many of these cases to the FIA's Cybercrime unit and a private entity, exploiting the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act of 2018. Victims, often young men, are lured into blasphemous acts by operatives with fabricated identities, resulting in their arrest.

A comprehensive review of government and private sector roles in such cases is urged by the commission. The report marks an increase in reported blasphemy cases: 11 in 2020, 9 in 2021, 64 in 2022, 213 in 2023, and 767 by July 2024. Most accused are Muslims, although minorities are also affected.

According to CRSS data, from 1947 to 2021, 947 Muslims and 421 non-Muslims were accused of blasphemy, with the remainder unaccounted for. Among non-Muslims, 225 were Christians, 174 Ahmadis, 20 Hindus, and one each were Sikh and Buddhist. The 2011 assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, who advocated for reforming blasphemy laws, remains a notable case.

The court also expressed concern over the disappearance of Komal Ismail, alias "Iman," a central figure in ongoing blasphemy cases. Reportedly involved in entrapment, she went missing in November last year after court orders were issued to block her national identity card and prevent her from leaving Pakistan. The court voiced worries about her safety, questioning what measures the government might take to protect her.

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