Tags

Pakistan

• Medical Care Denied to Elderly Christian

  

  On October 1st, Yousaf Masih Gill took his gravely ill father to the Civil Hospital in Sahiwal, Punjab, for urgent medical treatment. Seeking a doctor to care for his father, Yousaf eventually located the hospital staff, who were playing a game together. Finally, one of the physicians examined the elderly man. However, the doctor told Yousaf, "If I had known earlier that you are a Christian, I would not have touched your father."

• Zafar Bhatti's Ongoing Struggle for Justice

  

  Zafar Bhatti is listed as Pakistan's longest-serving blasphemy prisoner. Since the day of his arrest on July 12th, 2012, the Christian man has remained in prison. During harsh police interrogation, Zafar was forced to confess to blasphemy. He has since recanted the previously made statement, asserting that it was spoken while under duress. During his time in prison, the believer has also encountered various health concerns. (For previously published reports on Zafar's case, see this page.)

• Kidnapped Teen Forcibly Converted to Islam and Married

  

  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.

• Christian Woman Convicted of Blasphemy

  

  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.

• Christian Brothers Charged with Blasphemy

  

  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.

• Christians Await Justice One Year After Jaranwala Riots

  

  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.

• Sisters Accused of Blasphemy

  

  On August 6th, Mohammad Haider claimed that he saw a Christian woman named Sonia Masih putting trash into a bag and then disposing of it. The Muslim man said that when he looked inside the trash bag, it contained ruined pages of the Quran. The next day, Mohammad went to Sonia's home to further investigate the situation, taking two other community members with him. He alleged that Sonia's sister, Saima, had made some inappropriate religious comments to them during the visit, leading the Muslim men to contend that the two Christian sisters committed blasphemy.

• Hope and Faith Demonstrated on Death Row

  

  A Christian who was sentenced to death for blasphemy in May 2023 has demonstrated that, even while in prison, he has been able to maintain hope for the future. Noman Masih was convicted on trumped-up charges of blasphemy for allegedly distributing sketches of Muhammad in 2019 (read more). In a display of endurance and strength, despite this terrible situation, the young Christian man was recently able pass his high school board examinations with a very high score.

• New Law Enacted to Protect Christian Girls Under 18

  

  In a decision referred to as "a step forward" by Christian leaders, the National Assembly of Pakistan recently passed an amendment to an act governing Christian marriages, banning matrimony for Christians under the age of 18. After the law was enacted on July 10th, Naveed Amir Jeeva, a Christian member of the National Assembly, stated, "The legislation aims to protect young girls from early and forced marriages, ensuring their access to education and health."

• Blasphemy Conviction for Online Posts

  

  In August 2023, the Christian colony of Jaranwala was filled with violence after allegations of blasphemy were made against two brothers. During the rampage, as many as 400 homes and 26 church buildings were damaged or destroyed. For more details, and to view video footage of the attacks, see this page.