Christians Focused by False Accusations: Misuse of Blasphemy Legal guidelines in Pakistan
Just lately, it was highlighted that sure teams of Muslim legal professionals and others who harbor animosity in direction of Christians are actively focusing on and making an attempt to remove Christians in Pakistan by accusing them of committing blasphemy towards Islam, its Prophet, and the Quran.
New developments have emerged, revealing {that a} Muslim man named Siam Riaz from Abbottabad was arrested by the police for spreading blasphemous content material on Fb and Instagram underneath the false identification of a Christian named Johnson Harry (“Your Subsequent”). For over a yr, he posted blasphemous content material whereas posing as a Christian.
A Muslim man, Muhammad Hassan Muawiya, filed a grievance with the Cybercrime Division of the Federal Investigation Company (FIA) in Lahore on 25-10-2023 underneath grievance quantity 3793/23, offering the telephone quantity related to the Fb account.
FIA Investigation:Arrest of Perpetrator
The Cybercrime Division of the FIA started an investigation, gathering the Name Element Information (CDR) of the caller ID used to create the Fb account. After a yr of investigation, it was found that the person linked to the Fb account and telephone quantity could be attending a marriage in Rawalpindi.
On October 27, 2024, the FIA ready a staff to raid the occasion, resulting in the arrest of Siam Riaz as he entered the marriage corridor. Upon confiscating his cell phone, the police discovered the Fb account “Johnson Harry (Your Subsequent)” and the Instagram account “Limitless Mzhbi” logged in, each of which he used to unfold blasphemous messages whereas posing as a Christian. He was instantly arrested and brought to Lahore for additional investigation. An FIR was registered towards him (quantity 175/2024) underneath sections 11 PECA-2016, 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 298-A, and 109 PPC. Throughout interrogation, Riaz admitted to posting blasphemous content material for over a yr.
In October, consideration was additionally drawn to a gaggle known as the Authorized Fee on Blasphemy Pakistan, led by advocate Rao Abdul Rahim. This group has been uncovered for its questionable actions, notably in entrapping harmless youths and Christians—usually minors—by accusing them of blasphemy for private and monetary acquire. This operation was uncovered by means of an in depth report by the Particular Department of the Punjab Police.
The misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy legal guidelines has turn out to be a critical concern, as these legal guidelines are continuously exploited to focus on Christians and their properties. False accusations are sometimes used to intimidate or take away Christians from their communities, forcing them into weak conditions. This pattern not solely impacts people but in addition destabilizes whole communities, additional marginalizing non secular minorities.
