Islamabad, July 27 (IANS) Officials in Pakistan recently reported to a parliamentary committee that most of the 333 blasphemy cases lodged in the country’s four provinces in the past five years were false, reports have stated.
Provincial home secretaries and senior police officials reported to the Senate’s Functional Committee on Human Rights that the false cases included those involving Christians and other religious minorities. The official data presented to the committee revealed that Punjab province reported the highest number of cases under Section 295-C of the blasphemy law, with 116 cases lodged in the past five years, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reported.
Sindh province recorded 96 cases under Section 295-B while 29 cases were under Section 295-C. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported over 90 blasphemy cases during the past five years while Balochistan province recorded 28 cases during the same period.
The provincial officials told the committee that blasphemy allegations were frequently linked to personal vendettas, family disputes and other private conflicts. In many cases, they said, the probe did not find any proof backing the accusations, resulting in the dismissal of the cases, Christian Daily International-Morning Star News reported.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws have faced criticism from human rights groups and legal experts, who have said that these laws are frequently exploited to settle personal scores, seize property and target religious minorities.
On July 22, a leading minority group accused Pakistan of failing to curb the misuse of blasphemy laws, citing false allegations, widespread mob violence against the accused and failure to protect the minorities from their consequences.
According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), the blasphemy laws remain among Pakistan’s most “controversial issues”, with their impact on religious minorities and the continued failure of institutions to prevent their misuse.
The rights body noted that one of the biggest failures has been the inability of Pakistan’s justice system to safeguard the innocent from false allegations.
Referring to the case of Rimsha Masih, a Pakistani Christian girl with Down syndrome, the VOPM said that the incident exposed serious weaknesses in the system. She was accused of desecrating the Quran, but subsequent evidence indicated that the allegations were “fabricated”.
While she was eventually released, the rights body said the damage was already done, with her family facing immense pressure and the case highlighting how easily someone can become a victim before the court examines the facts.
“The judiciary and law enforcement agencies have repeatedly been criticised for failing to act strongly against those who misuse blasphemy allegations. When false accusers or those who manipulate religious emotions are not held accountable, it sends a dangerous message that such actions can continue without consequences. This lack of accountability weakens public trust in the legal system,” the VOPM stated.
–IANS
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