US concerned over spike in blasphemy cases

State Dept report notes govt action to curb sectarian hate speech

KARACHI: The United States has expressed concern at the increase in the number of blasphemy cases and the use of such charges as “justification for mob justice” in Pakistan even as it noted increased government action to curb sectarian hate speech.

It pointed out that armed sectarian groups connected to banned terror organisations continued to stage attacks on Christians and Shias, including the predominantly Shia Hazara community. Incidents of forced conversions have also continued.



This was stated in the US State Department’s annual report on International Religious Freedom which was released on Wednesday. The report takes a comprehensive look at the situation in more than 200 countries in 2015.



The report noted that the police arrested several individuals on charges of blasphemy. Quoting data provided by civil society organisations, the report said three new cases under the blasphemy laws were registered during 2015, down from 12 cases in 2014.



It added that numerous individuals involved in well-publicised blasphemy cases from previous years -- including Sawan Masih, Shafqat Emmanuel, Shagufta Kausar, and Liaquat Ali -- remained in jail awaiting appeal. Further, as per the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), more than 40 people remain on death row for blasphemy in Pakistan. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2016.