Islamabad, Feb 26 (IANS) A leading minority rights group in Pakistan on Thursday expressed grave concern over growing misuse of the country’s blasphemy laws, saying they are increasingly exploited as “tools of fear, control, and profit”.
Citing human rights groups, which describe the law as a growing “blasphemy business,” the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM) stated that “fabricated screenshots, doctored images, fake social media accounts, and false witness statements” are used to trap vulnerable individuals in cases that can carry the death penalty.
The rights body stressed that for Pakistan’s religious minorities — Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus, Sikhs, and Shia Muslims — blasphemy allegations are not merely abstract legal risks but pose a constant threat.
“Already facing social discrimination and economic marginalisation, these communities can be devastated by a single accusation. Mobs gather within hours, families flee, jobs are lost, and reputations are permanently damaged,” the VOPM stated.
“Between 1994 and 2025, at least 104 people were killed extrajudicially following blasphemy allegations. In this climate, the law does not merely punish — it terrifies,” it added.
The VOPM highlighted concerns raised by several human rights organisations over the role of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), particularly its Cyber Crime Wing, for registering cases without proper forensic verification and acting on anonymous tips.
Meanwhile, it said, private vigilante groups, including those linked to radical Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, actively pursue alleged blasphemy cases online, while the Legal Commission on Blasphemy in Pakistan openly campaigns to take “decisive action” against alleged offenders.
“This combination — public pressure, organised activism, and weak safeguards — creates fertile ground for extortion. Victims are often forced to pay intermediaries or flee their homes to survive,” the VOPM noted.
According to the rights body, the problem extends beyond misuse, highlighting that the blasphemy law allows allegations to carry immense weight before evidence is properly tested. It stated that accusations are weaponised against the poor, minorities, and socially marginalised.
“For the wealthy and well-connected, legal defence may be possible. For others, survival depends on silence, flight, or payment. As long as the death penalty remains attached to blasphemy laws, these provisions will continue to attract vigilantes, opportunists, and organised extortion networks,” the VOPM emphasised.
Asserting that the Pakistani authorities have failed to protect the most vulnerable, the rights body said, “The judiciary and law enforcement often act as enablers rather than safeguards. Until Pakistan dismantles the legal and institutional mechanisms that allow blasphemy to function as a tool of intimidation, fear will remain the law of the land.”
–IANS
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