Explained: Pakistan’s emotive blasphemy laws
4 years, 3 months ago

Explained: Pakistan’s emotive blasphemy laws

Al Jazeera  

In recent years, a record number of cases have been filed under blasphemy law introduced during British colonial rule. “In a sense, all religious traditions have deep connections to specific sacred objects and would be hurt by perceived defilement of their religious traditions, but this has certainly taken heightened political significance in Pakistan.” Khan argues that the heightened significance of “blasphemy” in Pakistan, as opposed to other Muslim countries, is linked to the formation of the country in 1947 as a homeland for South Asia’s Muslims. All religious traditions have deep connections to specific sacred objects and would be hurt by perceived defilement of their religious traditions, but this has certainly taken heightened political significance in Pakistan A law inherited from British colonial rulers Pakistan inherited its blasphemy laws from its former British colonial rulers, who in 1860 introduced a set of laws related to religion in order to quell Hindu-Muslim violence in the Indian subcontinent. “With the rise of TLP and, in particular, the weaponisation and politicisation of ‘ishq-e-Rasool’, there is a greater ideological interest in blasphemy cases regardless of personal altercations,” says Mazhar. “Since then, even the semblance of momentum towards legislative debate has stalled and, more recently, been entirely reversed – far-right religious groups now campaign explicitly on protecting the blasphemy laws from any tampering.” Given a vast structure designed to create public pressure on the issue of blasphemy, lower-court conviction rates for blasphemy cases remain high, even in cases where the evidence is flimsy.

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History of this topic

Pakistan court sentences Christian woman to death in blasphemy case
3 months ago

Pakistan court sentences Christian woman to death in blasphemy case

The Hindu  

A court in Pakistan on Thursday sentenced a Christian woman to death in a blasphemy case. Judge Afzal Majuka of the Special Court in Islamabad after the trial found her guilty under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code, which carries a death sentence. Earlier, Asia Bibi, who was sentenced to death for blasphemy, was kept in prison for …

Dozens rally in Pakistan after a Christian man is sentenced to death for blasphemy
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Dozens rally in Pakistan after a Christian man is sentenced to death for blasphemy

Associated Press  

KARACHI, Pakistan — Dozens of members from Pakistan’s civil society rallied on Tuesday in the southern port city of Karachi against the death sentence handed down to a Christian man on blasphemy charges, nearly a year after one of the worst mob attacks on Christians in the country. Several Christians also joined the rally which comes a day after a …

Pakistan: Christian man sentenced to death for 'blasphemous' post that triggered mob attack last year
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Pakistan: Christian man sentenced to death for 'blasphemous' post that triggered mob attack last year

India TV News  

Pakistan blasphemy : A court in Pakistan has sentenced a Christian man to the death penalty over an alleged "blasphemous post" on social media that triggered a mob attack, which burned dozens of Churches and houses of Christian members in Punjab's Faisalabad district in August last year, underscoring once again how blasphemy laws in the country are used to target …

Pakistani court sentences Christian man to death for posting hateful content against Muslims
5 months, 3 weeks ago

Pakistani court sentences Christian man to death for posting hateful content against Muslims

Associated Press  

MULTAN, Pakistan — A court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to death for sharing what it said was hateful content against Muslims on social media after one of the worst mob attacks on Christians in the eastern Punjab province last year, his lawyer said Monday, adding he will appeal the verdict. In August 2023, groups of Muslim men burned …

Justice robbed by mobs: Blasphemy in Pakistan
6 months ago

Justice robbed by mobs: Blasphemy in Pakistan

Hindustan Times  

On June 20, a local tourist was lynched and burnt alive by a mob in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after being accused of committing blasphemy for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. Grisly and sordid, though not uncommon, this latest incident in a long list of blasphemy-related vigilante justice has sparked renewed concerns regarding the misuse and abuse of blasphemy laws …

Muslim mob in Pakistan lynches tourist over alleged blasphemy, torches police station
6 months ago

Muslim mob in Pakistan lynches tourist over alleged blasphemy, torches police station

Live Mint  

A Muslim mob stormed a police station and destroyed parked police vehicles in northwestern Pakistan, Madyan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Origin of Blasphemy Law in Pakistan Blasphemy laws were introduced under British colonial rule in the Indian Penal Code of 1860, specifically sections 295 and 298, which criminalized actions and speech deemed disrespectful to religious beliefs and sacred figures. Of these, …

A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy and attacked by a mob has died of injuries
6 months, 3 weeks ago

A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy and attacked by a mob has died of injuries

Associated Press  

LAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani Christian accused of blasphemy and attacked by a mob last month died of his injuries on Monday, a police official said. Police in eastern Punjab province arrested more than 100 Muslim men and charged them under anti-terrorism laws for attacking a Christian father and son over allegations they desecrated pages of Islam’s holy book. He …

Christians attacked in Pakistan's Sargodha for ‘blasphemy’
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Christians attacked in Pakistan's Sargodha for ‘blasphemy’

Hindustan Times  

At least 10 members of a minority Christian community were rescued on Saturday after a Muslim crowd attacked their settlement on a blasphemy accusation in eastern Pakistan, police and a community leader said. At least one house and a small shoe factory was set on fire by protesters The crowd, which accused the Christian group of blasphemy, also hurled stones …

Pakistani court sentences man to death and teenager to life in prison for insulting Islam’s prophet
9 months, 1 week ago

Pakistani court sentences man to death and teenager to life in prison for insulting Islam’s prophet

Associated Press  

MULTAN, Pakistan — A Pakistani court sentenced a 22-year-old student to death and gave a teenager a life sentence in two separate cases after finding them guilty of insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, a defense lawyer and officials said Monday. Aslam Gujar, a lawyer who represented student Junaid Munir, told The Associated Press that the judge in the city of Gujranwala …

Pakistan: When a blasphemy accusation is evidence; the sentence often death
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Pakistan: When a blasphemy accusation is evidence; the sentence often death

Al Jazeera  

A Lahore woman barely escaped with her life. Here’s what happened: A married couple was out shopping, peacefully going about their day, when a passer-by spotted something that he found offensive – in this case, the woman’s garments. In the past, we have seen no less a personage than Salman Taseer, the Governor of Punjab himself – of which Lahore …

Pakistan's Failure to Address Violence Against Religious Minorities Flagged by Rights Group
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan's Failure to Address Violence Against Religious Minorities Flagged by Rights Group

News 18  

Human Rights Watch has raised concern about the increasing number of attacks on religious minorities in Pakistan and called for immediate action to protect them from violence. “The Faisalabad attack underscores the failings of Pakistan’s police to adequately protect religious minority communities and respond promptly to violence targeting them,” said Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director at HRW. “The lack of …

Pakistan: Christians Hold Sunday Services At Churches Torched By Mob Week After Violence
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan: Christians Hold Sunday Services At Churches Torched By Mob Week After Violence

ABP News  

Members of the Christian community in Pakistan held services on Sunday at churches that were vandalised by a mob over allegations of blasphemy in Punjab province’s Jaranwala. The services held at handful churches were led by the bishop of the diocese, Christian community leader Akmal Bhatti told Reuters. As per the Reuters report, a Christian graveyard was also desecrated, said …

Blasphemy laws | Faith and violence
1 year, 4 months ago

Blasphemy laws | Faith and violence

The Hindu  

Last Wednesday, a mob attacked a Christian colony in Pakistan’s Jaranwala and burned 22 churches and looted a large number of houses forcing hundreds of citizens of the minority community to flee to neighbouring areas. Taseer had boldly taken on the supporters of the blasphemy laws and defended Christian farm worker Asiya Bibi, who was convicted of blasphemy by a …

20 churches, 86 houses belonging to Christians burnt down by mob in Pakistan: Police
1 year, 4 months ago

20 churches, 86 houses belonging to Christians burnt down by mob in Pakistan: Police

Firstpost  

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, where anyone deemed to have insulted Islam or Islamic figures can face death penalty. Currently, 3,500 cops and 180 Rangers personnel are posted at Christian areas in Jaranwala Over 20 churches and 86 houses belonging to Christians were burnt down by a mob in Pakistan’s Punjab province and a total of 145 suspects …

Why is Blasphemy a Sensitive Issue in Pakistan and What Do the Laws Say
1 year, 4 months ago

Why is Blasphemy a Sensitive Issue in Pakistan and What Do the Laws Say

News 18  

Twenty-one churches in Punjab province of Pakistan were attacked on Wednesday by mob over an alleged incident of blasphemy. Since 2011, when Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was shot dead by his bodyguard over a call for the blasphemy laws to be reformed, mainstream debate over the issue has been all but impossible. Pakistan’s blasphemy laws were little-used until the 1970s …

135 arrested, case filed against 600 over church attacks in Pakistan's Faisalabad
1 year, 4 months ago

135 arrested, case filed against 600 over church attacks in Pakistan's Faisalabad

India Today  

Pakistani authorities have arrested 135 people in connection with the unprecedented mob attack on 21 churches in Punjab province even as the government on Thursday ordered a high-level probe into the riots and promised to “restore” all the damaged churches and homes of the minority Christian community. Meanwhile, Punjab’s Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi promised to “restore” within three to …

Pakistan arrests 2 main suspects in attacks on churches in Faisalabad
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan arrests 2 main suspects in attacks on churches in Faisalabad

India Today  

Pakistani police have arrested two prime suspects involved in the unprecedented attacks on 21 churches and nearly three dozen homes of the minority Christian community over blasphemy allegations, Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said. An enraged mob ransacked and torched 21 churches and 35 homes of Christians on Wednesday over blasphemy allegations in Jaranwala town of Faisalabad district, …

Pakistan’s blasphemy law: All you need to know
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan’s blasphemy law: All you need to know

Al Jazeera  

Alleged blasphemers risk death at the hands of vigilantes, even under unproven allegations of insulting Islam. Pakistan’s blasphemy law has come under the spotlight again after a Muslim mob burned Christian churches and houses in the east of the country earlier this week, accusing two members in the community of desecrating the Quran. On Friday, Pakistani police arrested two Christians …

Pakistan Blasphemy Row: 135 Arrested, Probe Ordered For Mob Attack On 21 Churches
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan Blasphemy Row: 135 Arrested, Probe Ordered For Mob Attack On 21 Churches

ABP News  

Authorities in Pakistan have arrested 135 people in connection with the unprecedented mob attack on 21 churches in the country's Punjab province over blasphemy allegations. On Thursday, the government ordered a high-level probe into the riots and promised to “restore” all the damaged churches and homes of people belonging to the minority Christian community, reported PTI. On Wednesday, an enraged …

Pakistan Riots: Faislabad Jaranwala Christian Settlement Cordoned Off 50 Houses Burnt Over Blasphemy Allegations
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan Riots: Faislabad Jaranwala Christian Settlement Cordoned Off 50 Houses Burnt Over Blasphemy Allegations

ABP News  

A Christian settlement in eastern Pakistan has been sealed off by paramilitary troops after a mob wreaked havoc, setting fire to multiple churches and numerous houses. According to a report by news agency Reuters, police personnel present at the scene of the incident did not intervene, prompting condemnation from community leaders and residents. These troops established cordons around the Christian …

Pakistan arrests 146 as it launches probe into church attacks
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan arrests 146 as it launches probe into church attacks

Al Jazeera  

More than 6,000 police and paramilitary troops deployed to control mob violence as Christian community reels in shock over attacks. “There is no space in Islam for violence,” Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, the Chairman of the All Pakistan Ulema Council, posted on X. Pakistan Ulema Council condemns brutal act of setting churches on fire in Jaranwala.Pakistan is not a lawless country …

Pakistan: Several churches vandalised by protesters in Punjab province over blasphemy allegations
1 year, 4 months ago

Pakistan: Several churches vandalised by protesters in Punjab province over blasphemy allegations

India TV News  

Pakistan's notorious blasphemy system has once made headlines as several churches were vandalised, set ablaze in Punjab province's Faisalabad district by a mob who were reportedly incited by clerics, said officials. The vandalised churches included the Salvation Army Church, United Presbyterian Church, Allied Foundation Church and Shehroonwala Church located in the Isa Nagri area of Jaranwala tehsil, said Jaranwala pastor …

Mobs burn Christian churches, homes in Pakistan after blasphemy allegations
1 year, 4 months ago

Mobs burn Christian churches, homes in Pakistan after blasphemy allegations

Al Jazeera  

Hundreds of people armed with batons and sticks attack churches in Jaranwala after the holy Quran was allegedly desecrated. Islamabad, Pakistan – Armed mobs have attacked at least two churches in Punjab province’s Jaranwala town accusing two Christian residents of blasphemy. Videos on social media showed hundreds of people armed with batons and sticks attacking the Salvation Army Church and …

Christian youth in Pakistan gets death sentence for sharing blasphemous content
1 year, 6 months ago

Christian youth in Pakistan gets death sentence for sharing blasphemous content

India Today  

A Christian youth was sentenced to death and slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000 by a Pakistani court on Friday for allegedly committing blasphemy. The district and sessions court of Pakistan's Bahawalpur city awarded capital punishment to the accused after the prosecution presented evidence and witnesses against him, as per a court official. "The prosecutors presented the forensic record …

Man accused of blasphemy killed by mob at Pakistan political rally
1 year, 7 months ago

Man accused of blasphemy killed by mob at Pakistan political rally

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Muslim scholar was lynched …

Opinion: Is God on the side of blasphemy laws?
1 year, 7 months ago

Opinion: Is God on the side of blasphemy laws?

LA Times  

A sign at a rally in Lahore, Pakistan, reads “Hang the blasphemer Sana.” Sana Ullah was arrested in April for claiming to be an Islamic prophet. But try telling that to officials in Pakistan, who in mid-April arrested a Chinese man working on a dam project and imprisoned him on charges of “blasphemy” for insulting God and the prophet Muhammad. …

Pakistan: Human rights report shows the dire state of religious minorities, highlights instances of forced conversions
1 year, 8 months ago

Pakistan: Human rights report shows the dire state of religious minorities, highlights instances of forced conversions

Op India  

According to a Human Rights Observer 2023 fact sheet in Pakistan, during the year 2022, the amount of anti-minority religious content in curricula and textbooks grew, and several enduring and new issues with the educational system surfaced in the Islamic nation. The report addressed five significant issues that have an impact on religious minorities, including prejudice in the educational system, …

Pakistan’s court sentence man to death over WhatsApp blasphemy
1 year, 8 months ago

Pakistan’s court sentence man to death over WhatsApp blasphemy

Live Mint  

A Muslim man was sentenced to death in northwest Pakistan by an anti-terrorism court after being convicted of posting blasphemous content in a WhatsApp group. "Accused Syed Muhammad Zeeshan, son of Syed Zakaullah in custody has been convicted and sentenced after being found guilty", the court order said, a copy of which was obtained by the news agency AFP. According …

Pakistani court sentences man to death for WhatsApp ‘blasphemy’
1 year, 8 months ago

Pakistani court sentences man to death for WhatsApp ‘blasphemy’

Hindustan Times  

An anti-terrorism court in northwest Pakistan has convicted and sentenced a Muslim man to death after he was accused of posting Pakistan court sentences man to death for blasphemy in a WhatsApp group. The case arose after Muhammad Saeed, a resident of Talagang in Punjab province filed an application with the Federal Investigation Agency two years ago accusing Zeeshan of …

The blasphemy law in Pakistan and how it is used against minorities
1 year, 9 months ago

The blasphemy law in Pakistan and how it is used against minorities

The Hindu  

Published : Mar 11, 2023 17:14 IST The Pakistani state has struggled to form a consensus among its citizens on various issues. On the basis of a close examination of various archival sources, Hussain argues that it was Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the founder of the Ahmadiyya movement, “who helped popularize today’s pervasive emotional response towards blasphemy”, allegedly committed by non-Muslims …

50 arrested over killing of blasphemy suspect in Pakistan
1 year, 10 months ago

50 arrested over killing of blasphemy suspect in Pakistan

The Hindu  

Pakistan's police arrested at least 50 suspects in the kidnapping and lynching of a man already detained on charges of blasphemy, officials said Monday, February 13, 2023 A mob of hundreds of enraged Muslims descended on the police station in the Nankana district of eastern Punjab province on Saturday. Members of the mob had been alerted that a man identified …

Police in Pakistan arrest 75 over blasphemy killing
1 year, 10 months ago

Police in Pakistan arrest 75 over blasphemy killing

India Today  

Over 75 suspects, including members of the radical Tehreek Laibbaik Pakistan outfit, have been arrested for their alleged role in the lynching of a blasphemy-accused man in Punjab province of Pakistan, police said on Monday. "So far we have arrested over 75 suspects as identification of more suspects is in the process through various mobile video and CCTV clips," Nankana …

Pakistan's new blasphemy laws may be 'weaponised' against minorities, says rights group
1 year, 10 months ago

Pakistan's new blasphemy laws may be 'weaponised' against minorities, says rights group

India Today  

Pakistan has further strengthened its already harsh blasphemy laws to punish anyone convicted of insulting people connected to Prophet Muhammad. This latest piece of legislation has left human rights activists alarmed, as they fear the laws would be misused to settle scores and further persecute religious minorities like Hindus and Christians in Pakistan. Pakistan's blasphemy laws carry a potential death …

Explained: How Pakistan has strengthened its laws against blasphemy
1 year, 11 months ago

Explained: How Pakistan has strengthened its laws against blasphemy

Firstpost  

Islamabad: Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which can already mean death for those deemed to have insulted Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, can now also be used to punish anyone convicted of insulting people who were connected to him. The move this past week by Parliament to further strengthen the nation’s strict blasphemy laws, which are often used to settle personal scores …

Hindu Man Saved from Lynch Mob in Pakistan: US Lawmaker, Civil Society Want Blasphemy Laws Scrapped
2 years, 3 months ago

Hindu Man Saved from Lynch Mob in Pakistan: US Lawmaker, Civil Society Want Blasphemy Laws Scrapped

News 18  

Police in Pakistan’s Hyderabad earlier in August managed to disperse a violent mob which was baying for the blood of Ashok Kumar, a sanitary worker accused of committing blasphemy. Hyderabad police dispersed a violent mob which was demanding handing over a Hindu sanitary worker accusing him of #blasphemy Police claims the sanitary worker was targeted because of a personal clash …

What is blasphemy? Why is the idea at odds with rule of law?
2 years, 5 months ago

What is blasphemy? Why is the idea at odds with rule of law?

India Today  

The beheading of a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur for a social media post supporting Nupur Sharma over her “blasphemous” remarks against Prophet Muhammad is being treated by the central government as an act of terror. What puts the idea of blasphemy at odds with India’s rule of law is the fact that the constitution allows its people the right …

Pakistan: Critics warn over blasphemy case against ex-PM Imran Khan
2 years, 7 months ago

Pakistan: Critics warn over blasphemy case against ex-PM Imran Khan

The Hindu  

A blasphemy case was registered against former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan last week, drawing sharp condemnation from his supporters and stoking concerns that the move would deepen political polarization in the country. Pakistan's Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah defended the blasphemy charges leveled against Khan and vowed to bring to justice those behind the incident in Saudi Arabia. Critics warn …

Pakistan: Six sentenced to death for lynching Sri Lankan national
2 years, 8 months ago

Pakistan: Six sentenced to death for lynching Sri Lankan national

Al Jazeera  

Court sentences six to death and dozens of others to jail terms over killing of a Sri Lankan man accused of blasphemy. A court in Pakistan has sentenced six people to death after convicting them for their roles in last year’s vigilante killing of a Sri Lankan factory manager accused by workers of committing blasphemy. “The prosecution team worked very …

Pakistani teacher killed for alleged blasphemy: Police
2 years, 8 months ago

Pakistani teacher killed for alleged blasphemy: Police

Al Jazeera  

Teacher at all-girls religious school allegedly killed by female colleague and two students in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A teacher at an all-girls religious school in Pakistan has been allegedly killed by a female colleague and two students who accused her of blasphemy, police say – the latest murder in the country related to the hugely sensitive issue. Police said two …

Pakistan has more religious violence than any other country: Reports
2 years, 8 months ago

Pakistan has more religious violence than any other country: Reports

Op India  

Amidst political instabilities in Pakistan growing with every passing day, reports have appeared in various media houses in which it is said that the religious violence in Pakistan is more than that in any other country in the world. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom mentioned in the report that instances of mob violence, and state-enforced criminal blasphemy …

OPINION: Lynching of Sri Lankan National in Pakistan Exposes Islam's Tryst with Blasphemy
3 years ago

OPINION: Lynching of Sri Lankan National in Pakistan Exposes Islam's Tryst with Blasphemy

News 18  

Islam, notwithstanding the heat and scrutiny it faces, the gory and loathsome past of intolerance, disapproval, and holocaust, has thrived and treaded since its advent and continues to engage the world, raise eyebrows, and steal the show—geopolitical, diplomatic, social, cultural, and political. The recent gruesome lynching of a top Sri Lankan manager of a garment factory in Sialkot district, Priyantha …

Pakistani police arrest four for ‘blasphemy’ over mosque argument
3 years, 1 month ago

Pakistani police arrest four for ‘blasphemy’ over mosque argument

Al Jazeera  

Four Muslim men accused of blasphemy after arguing with religious cleric who refused to make funeral announcement for a Christian. Pakistani police have arrested four men charged with blasphemy after they argued with an ‘imam’ over whether a funeral announcement for a Christian neighbour could be made from a mosque, officials say. The men, who were Muslim, argued with a …

Pakistan PM calls for West to criminalise blasphemy against Islam
3 years, 8 months ago

Pakistan PM calls for West to criminalise blasphemy against Islam

Al Jazeera  

PM Imran Khan calls on Western governments to treat insult against Islam’s prophet as it does the Holocaust. Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for Muslim-majority countries to band together to lobby Western governments to criminalise the insulting of Islam’s prophet, as negotiations between his government and a far-right anti-blasphemy religious group continue. Khan’s address came …

Pakistan court sentences three to death for blasphemy
3 years, 11 months ago

Pakistan court sentences three to death for blasphemy

Al Jazeera  

Fourth accused, a college teacher, sentenced to 10 years in jail for ‘blasphemous’ lecture he delivered in the classroom. An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has handed death sentences to three people for social media posts deemed insulting to Prophet Muhammad under the country’s blasphemy laws. A fourth accused, a college teacher, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for a …

US asks Pak to reform ’abused blasphemy laws’ after killing of citizen in court
4 years, 4 months ago

US asks Pak to reform ’abused blasphemy laws’ after killing of citizen in court

Live Mint  

Expressing shock and outrage over the killing of an American citizen inside Pakistani courtroom, US on Thursday asked Pakistan to "immediately reform its often abused blasphemy laws and its court system, which allow such abuses to occur." Naseem had been lured to Pakistan from his home in Illinois by individuals who then used Pakistan's blasphemy laws to entrap him," Cale …

US national shot dead in Pakistan courtroom during blasphemy trial
4 years, 4 months ago

US national shot dead in Pakistan courtroom during blasphemy trial

CNN  

Islamabad, Pakistan CNN — A United States citizen on trial for blasphemy in Pakistan has been shot dead while appearing in court, in the latest act of violence connected to the controversial legislation. The statement said that Naseem had been “lured to Pakistan from his home in Illinois by individuals who then used Pakistan’s blasphemy laws to entrap him.” It …

Man shot dead for ‘blasphemy’ in Pakistan courtroom
4 years, 4 months ago

Man shot dead for ‘blasphemy’ in Pakistan courtroom

Al Jazeera  

Tahir Ahmad Naseem, accused of blasphemy by claiming to be a prophet, shot six times during a hearing. A man accused of blasphemy for claiming that he was a prophet has been shot dead in a courtroom in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, police officials say, the latest violence associated with Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws. “ has been arrested …

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