Pakistan Court Orders Investigation into Rise of Online Blasphemy Cases

A Pakistan court has ordered a government probe into allegations of young people being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families. The spike in cases involves mostly young men arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022. Rights groups and police mention that many are brought to trial by private law firms using volunteers to search the internet for offenders.

Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court stated that the government will form a commission within 30 days, with a requirement to submit findings within four months. Blasphemy is a severe charge in Muslim-majority Pakistan, punishable by death. Even unproven accusations can incite public outrage, leading to lynchings and social ostracization of families.

A report by the National Commission for Human Rights revealed 767 people, mostly young men, in jail awaiting trial over blasphemy allegations. Lawyer Imaan Mazari, representing families of arrested individuals, expressed hope and relief at the court order, emphasizing the lasting stigma faced by those falsely implicated.

A leaked 2024 report by Punjab police suggested a suspicious gang trapping youth in blasphemy cases, potentially driven by financial motives. The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP) is actively prosecuting young men, with leader Sheraz Ahmad Farooqi claiming a divine calling for their work.

While some youngsters have received death sentences for blasphemy, no executions have occurred in Pakistan. A relative of an accused individual, speaking anonymously due to fear of backlash, expressed support for the probe commission, hoping for justice and truth to prevail.

According to the source: Macau Business.