“Take me instead of my brother, please. He can’t handle the torture. I will confess to whatever you want,” Zahid*, 32, desperately pleaded with the officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and members of a shady criminal extremist group at the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Center in Rawalpindi. 

He has been incarcerated for over two years on blasphemy charges in Adiala Jail, Islamabad, despite the fact that he is legally entitled to be released on bail on statutory grounds. Prosecution witnesses often fail to show up at the trial, which has been prolonged for too long. 

Zahid is not alone. 

As of July 25, 2024, over 700 young Pakistanis are incarcerated across various jails in the country on allegations of blasphemy, according to the National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR). The provincial breakdown of these “blasphemy” arrests is as follows: 581 cases from Punjab, 120 from Sindh, 64 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two from Balochistan. 

The NCHR conducted an extensive investigation into these cases and highlighted a “troubling trend”: a sharp increase in the registration of blasphemy cases, the majority of which were initiated by the FIA’s cybercrime unit, often in collaboration with a private entity.

A report by the Punjab Police’s Special Branch explains the nature and operations of this “private entity,” which is operating in the manner of a business group for the purpose of hunting “blasphemers” and then extorting them. The report reveals the following:

1. There is a gang of suspicious individuals based in Islamabad and Rawalpindi who are trapping impressionable young people in blasphemy cases and subsequently referring these cases to the FIA.
2. This gang reportedly consists of a number of men and women, and is allegedly led by Sheraz Ahmed Farooqi, who poses as a member of the extremist group Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).

3. A lawyer named Rao Abdur Raheem Advocate is also identified as a member of this gang.

4. Rao, Sheraz, and their associates have formed an organization called the Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan.

5. This gang acts as the complainant in approximately 90% of the blasphemy cases reported to and registered by the FIA.

6. They have created various WhatsApp and Facebook groups on social media to lure in and trap youth. Once involved, these individuals are falsely implicated in blasphemy cases in collaboration with certain elements within the FIA, with the intent of extorting them.The number of people entrapped by this group is astounding, and the question is, what possible motive over 700 unconnected youth from different parts of the country could have to commit blasphemy using electronic devices? Some of these young individuals are chemical engineers, while others are laborers, and many come from extremely religious or conservative backgrounds.  

The NCHR report includes testimony from a lawyer who stated that he has been “ostracized by the legal community solely for accepting such cases.” 

The figures quoted are astounding, and the question is, what possible motive over 700 unconnected youth from different parts of the country could have to commit blasphemy using electronic devices? Some of these young individuals are chemical engineers, while others are laborers, and many come from extremely religious or conservative backgrounds. 

We have also heard from our clients that nearly all of our clients were lured to Islamabad and other locations by a woman under the false pretense of “friendship” or job opportunities. After arriving, they were trapped by this Blasphemy Business Group whose members seized their phones and planted incriminating content on them. There is a pronounced lack of forensic examination of devices, which is essential for securing objective evidence in such cases.

While over 700 victims are alive and facing trial, some have not been able to withstand the torture. One such victim was Nauman*, who died after enduring severe abuse, evident from the bruises and marks covering his body when it was washed.

A common factor in all these cases is that the mobile devices of the “accused “ individuals are retained by the Blasphemy Business Group and FIA officials before being sent for any technical or forensic analysis.

Interestingly, one of the primary architects of this criminal enterprise, Advocate Raheem, has been identified by the Special Branch of Punjab. He carries content related to his activities on his phone and seeks to share it with various individuals in an effort to gain support and funding for his “noble mission” of identifying blasphemers. 

I have learned that some senior politicians and affluent influencers have donated large sums of money to him, unaware that the true objective of the group is extortion for personal benefit.

To give readers an idea of the extent of injustice and insanity, it is important to refer to one of the cases we are working on: the case of Farhan*, a young man who is blind and has been charged with creating and disseminating blasphemous content (despite clear and indisputable medical evidence of his blindness). 

The case against Farhan is perhaps one of the clearest examples of a false blasphemy accusation being concocted for the purpose of extortion. The group demanded a payment of Rs. 14 lakh from Farhan’s family in exchange for the FIA’s declaration of his innocence. Like many others who have silently paid their way out of this troubling situation, Farhan’s family would have done so as well if only they could afford it. However, because they cannot, Farhan’s application for acquittal has been pending before a Rawalpindi court for quite some time now, despite the fact that no incriminating material has been recovered from him and the evidence of his blindness.

The gang has actively created an environment of fear and intimidation, with the sole objective of securing convictions that it publicizes to obtain greater funds. 

This means the courts are unable to operate in a safe environment where judges can dispense justice without fear or favor. An Islamabad court dealing with these cases placed several cases on the E-court facility, preventing accused persons from even hearing the proceedings against them, in complete violation of their rights under Article 10A of Pakistan’s Constitution.

The prosecution story against the blasphemy-accused individuals is truly unbelievable, yet the charade continues across courts, particularly in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Moreover, we witnessed the court in Islamabad appeasing the group by writing 295C judgments in open court and seeking input from Advocate Raheem. The maxim “justice must not only be done but manifestly seen to be done” is not just dead but buried 10 feet underground.

How the Blasphemy Business Group fulfilled its rags-to-riches dream

Meanwhile, the reality is brazen: members of this group have significantly improved their standard of living since they began lodging these false cases in the FIA. According to the NCHR report, “Most of the accused individuals were from low socio-economic backgrounds with limited education,” and that “financial limitations hindered many accused individuals from accessing proper legal counsel.”

Several FIA officials have also profited from this exploitation, and the Blasphemy Business Group, in turn, has assisted many FIA officials (Grades 1-15) in securing regularization of their services, though the same officials were earlier contract employees.

Rao and the FIA officials are not alone—everyone in the group has realized their own rags-to-riches dreams in the name of religion, ensnaring innocent youth while enriching themselves. One member of the group, Raja Imran Khalil, is a lawyer involved in several cases in Rawalpindi and a complainant in a blasphemy case. 

From 2018 to 2020, he sold State Life Insurance policies. However, in January 2022, he was able to inaugurate a large, brand new office.

Despite the Special Branch Punjab’s findings that the sources of funding for this group are unknown, no one seems to question it.

Another member of the group is Ghazanfar Ali, who also appears in the Islamabad District Courts as an advocate. When Ghazanfar wishes to lodge an FIR with the FIA’s CCRC in Rawalpindi, he provides a Rawalpindi address for himself (as was done in FIR number. 85/2023). When he wishes to entrap people in Islamabad, he uses an Islamabad address as the complainant (as was done in FIR No. 138/2023). There is no scrutiny of anything submitted by the group to the FIA, which readily lodges FIRs and negotiates with families regarding the extortion amount.

The group continues to operate with impunity as the government turns a blind eye to the plight of hundreds of families across the country whose loved ones are languishing in jail for no reason other than their inability to pay the sums demanded of them. Officials in the FIA continue to partake in the racket because their fates and careers are now tied to the success of the group in court. Otherwise, this entire criminal enterprise would crumble, and the law would require that cases be lodged against members of the group and FIA officials involved in the scheme.

The most striking aspect is that several complainants in these FIRs admit, both in their applications to the FIA and in their testimonies before the courts, that they were members of the social media groups where blasphemous content was routinely shared. Yet, no one in the FIA—nor a single judge—dares to ask why these complainants remained in these blasphemous groups for so long, viewing incriminating content before they suddenly decided to report it.

Moreover, the FIA is quick to file complaint after complaint on their behalf. For example, FIR numbers 41/23, 212/23, 42/23, and 20/23 have all been lodged by the same complainant, Shehzad Khan, who is also a member of the Blasphemy Business Group, indicating that he is a resident of both Islamabad and Rawalpindi at the same time.

In the months that we have observed these cases, we have yet to see any legal arguments presented by members of the business group in a court of law, nor have we encountered any authentic evidence against the accused. Instead, we witness threats and intimidation masked as religious education from members of the gang, sending a clear message to the judges presiding over these cases: any decision to provide relief could have fatal consequences for the judge. This is not an empty threat, especially when we recall that Justice Arif Bhatti of the Lahore High Court was shot dead in his own chamber after acquitting 13-year-old Salamat Masih.

The real question remains: How can the government justify its silence on this glaring injustice and blatant abuse of the blasphemy law for the personal enrichment of a criminal group? How many more individuals will continue to be entrapped, extorted, tortured, and incarcerated for the sole purpose of enabling this gang to make a quick profit in the name of religion?

This madness and injustice has to stop, and members of this group need to be held accountable for their crimes. 

There has recently been a small glimmer of hope due to bail orders granted by the Sindh High Court in several cases. In an order dated December 11, 2024, concerning eight post-arrest bail applications, the Sindh High Court made the following observations:

1.  Several accused persons are not explicitly named in the FIRs.
2. There was no independent forensic examination conducted on the recovered material and devices.
3. The original source or creator of the content remains unidentified by the FIA, with reports suggesting that the source is “situated abroad in different countries.”

4. The reports submitted under Section 173 of the CRPC do not clearly indicate whether the data extracted from the mobile phones allegedly recovered from the applicants was edited by them or merely forwarded after being received from an unknown user, nor do they determine whether the purported blasphemous graphics are fake or genuine.

The Sindh High Court has raised important questions, but this has not come without consequences. As is typical of the business group, when outcomes do not favor them—specifically when courts uphold procedural and substantive safeguards mandated by law—they initiate a hateful and inflammatory campaign against lawyers and judges. This campaign includes issuing various press releases in which they label both judges and lawyers as blasphemers.

This is in line with their standard operating procedure throughout, where press releases have been issued after several hearings, categorizing the accused as a “blasphemer” without use of the word “alleged” and counsels for the accused as “lawyers of blasphemers.” After the recent Sindh High Court order, a campaign was launched demanding resignation of the judges. 

This criminal enterprise is not unknown to those in the corridors of power. Information on this business group’s operations has been conveyed to the highest levels of government, but they have expressed their inability to take action. The Blasphemy Business Group continues its reign of terror while some of the most hard working, enterprising and marginalized youth of this country suffer behind bars for something they never did. 

The tragedy is perhaps best encapsulated in a poem my paternal grandmother wrote during military dictator Zia ul Haq’s era, titled Aadhi gawahi (half testimony):

 تم حکمتِ دین کے پردے میں 

جائز کو ناجائز کرتے رہے 

کافر کو تو مسلم کر نا سکے 

مسلم کو کافر کرتے رہے

The Blasphemy Business Group is a direct byproduct of the state’s approach, which consistently permits the abuse of criminal law and religion to settle personal grievances. When individuals can file false blasphemy cases to resolve land disputes, it is no surprise that the Blasphemy Business Group believes it can exploit this system by submitting hundreds of fraudulent FIRs to the FIA for financial gain.

Today, hundreds of Pakistan’s hardworking youth are praying earnestly for someone to recognize this injustice and take action to stop it. Be their voice. Listen to their stories. Witness their families’ tears, and do not turn away simply because having this conversation is dangerous. 

These families deserve justice and an end to their suffering.

Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir

The writer is an Islamabad-based lawyer and human rights activist.

The post The Untold Plight of Over 700 Jailed Pakistanis Trapped in Blasphemy Cases appeared first on Dissent Today.

The arrested man worked as a tailor and was facing financial difficulties while struggling to pay his family’s debts. During this time, he became mentally unwell and began to “behave strangely,” according to his friends and family. Due to his mental illness, the owner of the shop where he worked eventually fired him on October 30. Upon hearing that he was fired, the man went to an adjacent room and uttered a few words that were deemed “blasphemous” by two of his co-workers. A blasphemy case was then registered against him under Section 295C of the CrPC and Section 16 of the Maintenance of Public Order (MPO), after which he was arrested by Chakwal police.

According to the accused’s mother, her incarcerated son is mentally ill and “had been behaving strangely for the last six months.” Friends and neighbors of the family confirmed that the young man was dealing with a mental disorder. The woman’s late husband worked at a brick kiln, and the family has lived in Chakwal for more than 30 years. After his father’s death a few years ago, the arrested man had been supporting the family financially. Following her son’s arrest, the woman now faces additional financial challenges, as she has been evicted from their home by the landlord, who stated that he wanted her gone as soon as he heard about the blasphemy case.

A report released by the U.S.-based Clooney Foundation for Justice in September noted that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are often misused, leading to numerous defendants facing unfounded charges, drawn-out legal struggles, and extended pre-trial incarceration. Judges hearing blasphemy cases proceed cautiously to avoid upsetting religious groups.

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In the statement released on Tuesday and shared on the authority’s social media pages, sections of the Pakistan Penal Code dealing with blasphemy have been listed, along with the punishments they carry.

The statement encourages users to report the content to the PTA or relevant social media platforms. “Atheists and miscreants are destroying the young generation’s faith and values by running an organized blasphemous campaign against Islam on social media,” the message says.

Human rights activists have criticized the notification, which comes weeks after a man in the northwestern district of Swat was lynched by a mob on allegations of blasphemy. Accusations of blasphemy in Pakistan often result in violent attacks and mob lynching, and the authorities have repeatedly failed to protect victims from extremist mobs.

Social media users said that the PTA is encouraging violence in the name of blasphemy by amplifying extremist groups’ narrative.

Journalist Arshad Yousafzai said the government was “facilitating” the extremist outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a group known for its hate speech and incitement to violence in the name of blasphemy.

Activist Yasser Hamdani wrote, “PTA has been taken over by religious fanatics.”

A spokesperson for the PTA did not immediately respond to Dissent Today‘s request for comment.

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The FIA has directed the filmmaker to appear before the it to “record his version of defense”.

The notice also stated that “in case of non-appearance, it will be assumed that you have nothing to present or state in your defense”.

So FIA just called me to answer why I’m standing against Bol and Faisal lynching program! Wow – chalo app boss it’s good to have it all out in open! They really freak out when I talk? I’m use to this now 😉 @ImaanZHazir @MJibranNasir @AsadAToor https://t.co/QMlCjhCEXb pic.twitter.com/AYxrYt1BlF

— jami azad 🌸 (@Jamiazad1) April 13, 2023

During the said Ramzan transmission, Faysal Qureishi had demanded action against people he thinks are blasphemers in front of several controversial clerics.

One of the regular guest speakers in the transmission is cleric Hanif Qureshi, who inspired Mumtaz Qadri to kill former Punjab governor Salman Taseer in 2011 for opposing Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws. Qadri had claimed after his arrest that he had been inspired to act by a 2010 sermon delivered by Mufti Qureshi in Rawalpindi, in which the cleric branded the likes of Taseer as liable to be killed under Islamic law.

His remarks received widespread condemnation with many social media users calling him out for hatemongering and tagging PEMRA on the clips. However, later religious group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan also spearheaded a campaign supporting the actor and targeting social media users criticising him.

In Pakistan, even allegations of blasphemy can result in mob lynchings– in 2008, three Ahmadis were killed because of incitement to violence during a Geo tv Ramzan transmission hosted by Aamir Liaquat.

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A resident of Punjab’s Talagang district filed a complaint with the FIA Counter Terrorism Wing Islamabad against the convict, accusing him of uploading blasphemous content on social media and a Whatsapp group.

He had also accused the convict, who is a Mardan resident, of sharing malicious content against holy personalities of Islam on social media.

The convict was arrested in 2021 and was kept in the Peshawar Central Prison, where the trial was also held due to security concerns.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs1.2 million on the convict, declaring the prosecution had “fully” proved its case against the accused, Dawn reported.

The convict was charged under the Pakistan Penal Code’s sections 295-A (insulting religious beliefs), 295-C (use of derogatory remarks in respect of Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and 298-A (derogatory remarks in respect of holy personages), the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act’s Section 20 (offences against the dignity of a person) and Section 22 (child pornography), and Section 7(1)(g) of the Anti-Terrorism Act (incitement of hatred on sectarian and religious basis).

Pakistan has intensified its crackdown on dissent on social media.

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The case was lodged with the Rawalpindi cyber crime cell of the Federal Investi­gation Agency (FIA) on May 13, 2020, on the complaint of Hasnat Farooq who claimed she was his friend and forwarded him blasphemous content through WhatsApp.

Ateeq had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Ateeq had said in a statement to the court that her accuser had deliberately dragged her into a religious discussion so he could collect evidence and take revenge after she refused “to be friendly” towards him. The two had met on a popular online multiplayer game and continued communicating on WhatsApp.

A Rawalpindi court sentenced Aneeqa Ateeq to death for “insulting the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)”. She was also sentenced to ten years in prison for “intending to outrage religious feelings, three years in prison for “posing as Muslim” and seven years in prison for “inciting interfaith hatred”.  Her prison sentences are reported to run concurrently. She was also fined 200,000 rupees.

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Junaid Hafeez was a lecturer at the Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, where he was targeted by religious extremist groups for his liberal teachings. The students had distributed pamphlets calling for Hafeez to be arrested and hanged, and staged a strike. Hafeez was quickly expelled from the university.

He was arrested on March 13, 2013, in Multan over blasphemy allegations.

Hafeez has been held in solitary confinement due to security concerns since 2014 when his lawyer, prominent rights activist Rashid Rehman, was murdered.

The attack came after Rehman had been threatened in open court by religious leaders and lawyers associated with the prosecution.

Following the incident, the five-year trial was held in a high-security jail.

The trial saw frequent delays and transfer of 8 judges, making a fair trial near possible.

The court in Multan sentenced Junaid Hafeez to death over the dubious allegations in 2019, drawing condemnation from human rights defenders. 

The high court is yet to take up his appeal against the death sentence.

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ننکانہ صاحب میں مشتعل ہجوم کا تھانے پر حملہ۔ توہین مذہب کے ملزم کو قتل کر کے جلا دیا گیا#Punjab #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/tXD768pJtJ

— Pakistan24 (@Pakistan24Tv) February 11, 2023

A mob lynched a person, who was arrested by police on #blasphemy charges, after attacking a police station in Nankana Sahab, Punjab, #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/qPR2g72Pqs

— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) February 11, 2023

Later in the day, Punjab Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar took notice of the incident and suspended Nankana Sahib DSP and SHO for failing to prevent the incident.
Human rights activists have long decried Pakistan’s blasphemy law for targeting minorities and using the law for settling personal scores.
Recently, the National Assembly passed amendments to the blasphemy law that suggests an increased punishment for disrespecting revered personalities in Islam.

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The National Assembly had passed the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill aimed at increasing punishment for disrespect of Ummahatul Momineen, Ahl-e-Bait, Khulfa-e-Rashideen and Sahaba-e-Kiram in the presence of just 15 MNAs.

In a letter to the PM, the human rights minister has said the bill was approved without “fulfilling the norms of parliamentary proceedings”. He also said the amendments were made to “please a specific group”.

The bill was moved by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali of the Jamaat-e-Islami. The federal minister added the lower house approved the bill without fulfilling constitutional requirements like quorum and a meaningful debate by standing committees.

The amendments made in the bill has enhanced the minimum punishment for those who insult the sacred personalities from three to 10 years along with a fine of Rs1 million.

According to the amendment, the offence is non-bailable.

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