"No Christian in Pakistan, fully aware of the devastating consequences, would intentionally publish or write anything that could be perceived as blasphemous against Islam." This statement by Father Lazar Aslam was made in response to recent allegations against a young Christian man, Asher Bhatti, whose case has sparked widespread concerns among religious freedom advocates.
On September 16th, a Muslim bookstore owner named Muhammad Umair discovered a Facebook account containing statements that were perceived as being derogatory towards the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Facebook posts also featured inflammatory comments from Asher's uncle who lives in Thailand, further exacerbating the situation.
At around the same time, Asher also discovered the account, which had been falsely created in his name without his knowledge or consent. The young Christian man promptly reported the impersonation to Pakistan's national cyber-crime agency, informing them that the account was created by his uncle, Samuel Paul. According to Asher, Samuel had been threatening and accusing him – alluding that his faith was causing serious trouble for their family. Allegedly affiliated with a militant Islamic group, the opposing uncle has also made attempts to extort money from Asher's parents who are presently living in the United Kingdom.
Despite Asher's efforts to clear his name, Muhammad Umair filed a police complaint against the believer, accusing him of blasphemy. Since police investigations are continuing, Asher has not been arrested. In the meanwhile, public demonstrations have called for his immediate detention. Due to these threats, the young man has been forced to go into hiding.
Sadly, Asher's case is not an isolated incident. According to Nasir Saeed, director of CLAAS-UK, "This is yet another tragic example of how Pakistan's blasphemy laws are being grossly misused." Such accusations have resulted in the imprisonment of hundreds of individuals, many of whom are innocent. Other reports addressing the persecution of Christians in Pakistan are available at our country profile.
- Pray that truth and justice will prevail in Asher's case, and that those responsible for the threats and false accusations will be held accountable.
- Ask our Heavenly Father to protect Asher and the members of his immediate family from danger, providing each of them peace, courage and comfort in the midst of this difficult situation.
- Pray that Pakistan's blasphemy laws will be repealed, so they can no longer be misused to target innocent individuals – including those who represent religious minorities.
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