Pakistani Court Acquits Muslim Woman in Blasphemy Case

Lahore, Oct 30 (PTI) A groundbreaking decision has emerged from a Pakistani court, which overturned the death sentence of Muslim woman Aniqa Atiq in a controversial blasphemy case. Serious procedural flaws within the prosecution's framework contributed significantly to the court’s decision, as confirmed by an official on Thursday. The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench delivered the acquittal on Wednesday following a detailed appeal hearing. Aniqa Atiq, previously condemned to death by a special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Rawalpindi in January 2022, faced allegations of sending blasphemous messages to complainant Hasanat Farooq. This arrest by the FIA occurred in 2020, triggered by Farooq's accusations. The decisive ruling was delivered by a two-member bench consisting of Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Chaudhry Waheed. The judges highlighted the prosecution’s inability to substantiate the accusations against Aniqa. This case marks a historical precedent, as Aniqa is the first Muslim woman and third woman overall to face such a sentence in a blasphemy case. Notably, the two other women—Aasia Bibi and Shagufta Bibi—were of Christian faith. Aasia Bibi's case garnered international attention, culminating in her 2018 acquittal and subsequent relocation to Europe. During the appeal, Aniqa’s lawyer, Saiful Malook, argued the charges lacked foundation since the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA conducted no forensic verification. The blasphemy case, registered ten days post-incident in April 2020, never involved the seizure of Aniqa’s phone. The court criticized this negligence and the FIA’s broader mishandling of blasphemy cases, emphasizing the agency’s failure to adhere to established legal protocols. Justice Khan inquired about any forensic scrutiny of Aniqa's mobile device. The prosecution revealed that the phone implicated was actually owned by another woman and never underwent forensic examination. Furthermore, this woman was not named as a co-accused. The judge remarked, “When no evidence exists against the accused, how was a death sentence justified?” Additionally, he questioned Farooq, “How could a man maintain contact for one and a half years with a woman (Aniqa) with whom he had no religious connection?” The court concluded by upholding Aniqa’s appeal and annulling her death penalty. Recent data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan indicates a significant uptick in blasphemy cases, particularly since 2022. The increase is attributed to the misuse of blasphemy laws for personal vendettas and property disputes, often involving manipulated online accusations. In a four-year span, cases skyrocketed from 9 in 2021 to a staggering 475 in 2024, indicating a trend where individuals face entrapment through fabricated online content for extortion or coercion.

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