Pakistan: The Business of Blasphemy
In an Islamic republic that punishes offenses against Islam with the death penalty, criminal networks have found it a godsend when it comes to extorting money from victims who are careless in their use of social networks.
Pakistan often makes headlines because of its strict laws on blasphemy against Islam, a legislative arsenal that dates back to the British colonial era and was strengthened in the 1980s under the regime of General Zia-ul-Haq. Currently, Articles 295 to 298 of the Pakistani Penal Code criminalize any alleged attack on the Koran, the Prophet Muhammad, or religious symbols of Islam.
However, this legal framework often encourages abuse, since a simple denunciation is enough to initiate legal proceedings, not to mention the social and religious pressures that further weaken the position of the accused.
To this must be added that the laws on "blasphemy" against Islam are often diverted for nefarious purposes. To date, 450 victims of completely fabricated accusations have been identified in Pakistan. Let's not kid ourselves. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the scandal denounced by the Catholic lawyer - and MP - Khalil Tahir Sandhu, to the religious information agency of the pontifical missions.
Fides thus reported on January 30, 2025, that the families of people falsely accused of "blasphemy" wanted to publicize the injustice done to them by organizing a press conference with their lawyers, in order to alert the public authorities and public opinion.
(Sources : Fides/LicasNews – FSSPX.Actualités)
Illustration : ID 127819644 | Pakistan Loi © Mykhailo Polenok | Dreamstime.com
