Raza Hayat Hiraj Pakistan's State Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs
The government of Pakistan has drafted a bill, called the Criminal Law Amendment Act, intended to revise some of the laws based on a strict interpretation of the Koran. The amendment would make "honor killings" illegal, as well as amending the Hudood ordinances (punishments based on the Koran) and the blasphemy laws. The state minister for law and parliamentary affairs, Raza Hayat Hiraj made the announcement on television on July 8. No details on the proposed amendments have been made available. On July 12, Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain announced that the draft had been referred to the Council of Islamic Ideology. Many Muslim clerics are opposing any change to the laws.
Pakistan's blasphemy law has been frequently misused against Christians. Those accused are typically presumed guilty until proven innocent and often languish in prison for years until their case is heard. There they are often subject to attacks and abuse by guards and inmates and pressured to convert to Islam. At the present time, ten Christians are in prison on blasphemy charges. The law has often been used against Christians simply because of their religious identity or for the personal gain of the accuser.
Pray that this draft bill will bring positive change to Pakistan. Pray for the release of those falsely accused of blasphemy.
Parvez Masih
One of the more blatant abuses of the blasphemy law concerns the arrest in April 2001 of Parvez Masih. Parvez, was the headmaster of a Christian school near Lahore, Pakistan when some of his students asked him if it was true that Mohammed had a nine-year-old wife. Parvez graciously mentioned her name, "Aisha," and told them to look in the Koran. On April 1, 2001 he was arrested and accused of violating Law 295C, blaspheming Mohammed as a result of the testimonies of two of the boys. It is believed that a teacher of a rival high school was involved in an attempt to close the Christian school.
Parvez continues to be held in prison and appears in session court as required but has not yet been sentenced. His family is able to visit him twice a month. You can write Parvez an encouraging note at:
Parvez Masih District Jail Sialkot PAKISTAN
For more information on persecution of Christians in Pakistan, click here.
VOMC partners to train Christian women in sewing skills throughout Pakistan to provide a sustainable source of income for their families and encourage them in their faith and witness for Christ.
Religion (%) Islam (96.5), Other - Christian and Hindu (3.5)
Leader President Asif Ali Zardari (2024)
Government type Federal parliamentary republic
Legal system Common law system with Islamic law influence
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Pakistan
Pray that amendments will be made to Pakistan's existing blasphemy laws so that the country's citizens – including its children – will be protected from injustice and abuse. May our Lord's mercy and justice prevail, not only in the judiciary system but also in the hearts of the country's militants. Ask Him to transform their "hearts of stone" into hearts that are receptive to His love, mercy and the workings of His Holy Spirit – not only for the purpose of protecting the Christian minority but also for the salvation of their own eternal souls.
A 16-year-old Christian girl in Jaranwala, Punjab, was kidnapped on September 12th before being forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her captors. On the day of the attack, Diya Iftikhar was at home with her four sisters. The family's neighbours state that they saw three armed men force Diya into a white Suzuki van, which then sped away. The men have since been identified as Ghazaal Jutt, Afzal Jutt and Ramzan Jutt.
In July 2021, Shagufta Kiran was arrested after she forwarded a message in a WhatsApp group chat. The Christian woman was charged with intentionally offending religious feelings and insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad. While awaiting the court process, the accused believer has remained in custody since the time of her arrest. Following the allegations, Shagufta's family received constant threats. As a result, her husband Rafique and their children have been forced to relocate multiple times in search of safety. For previously published reports on this believer's case, see this page.
A village fair in Pakistan. Photo: Wikimedia / Sarwanmemon.muet (cc)
Shail Masih and his twin brother Rahil were celebrating at a village fair on August 26th. Along with many other community members, the 18-year-old Christian brothers went on a carnival ride and threw fake currency notes into the crowd. Unfortunately, it was discovered that some of the slips of paper thrown by the participants contained Quranic verses. It was assumed by those present that the young Christian men were the ones responsible, leading to the arrest of their mother and grandfather.
On August 16th, 2023, thousands of people stormed the streets of Jaranwala in Punjab, angered by allegations of blasphemy against two Christian brothers. Due to the frenzied nature of the mob's multiple attacks, numbers vary widely; but at least 26 church buildings were destroyed, along with hundreds of Christian homes. For more details, along with video footage of the destruction, go to this report.
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