ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court has ordered the federal government to set up a commission within 30 days to investigate the alleged abuse of the country’s controversial blasphemy laws.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC), led by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, issued the directive on Tuesday while hearing a case involving multiple blasphemy complaints marked by a pattern of alleged entrapment and extortion. The laws, which were toughened during General Ziaul Haq’s military rule in the 1980s, are widely feared due to frequent reports of mob violence and extrajudicial killings following accusations, regardless of judicial outcomes.
The court’s order followed nearly 10 months of proceedings and 42 hearings. Justice Khan directed that the commission complete its investigation within four months, with the option to seek an extension if needed.
The case centers on serious allegations that officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), lawyers, and private individuals conspired to entrap people into sharing blasphemous content online — often through honey-trapping tactics — and later extorted money by threatening legal action. Those who refused to pay were prosecuted, putting them at risk of vigilante violence. Over the years, dozens accused under these laws have been killed by extremists.
Data from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) shows that between 1947 and 2021, a total of 701 blasphemy cases were registered involving 1,415 accused — 1,308 men and 107 women. At least 89 people were killed and 30 injured in related incidents. A sharp spike in cases followed the 1986 amendments under Ziaul Haq, which introduced the death penalty for certain blasphemy offences. Prior to these amendments, only 11 cases and three deaths had been recorded.
The National Commission for Human Rights, in its latest report (October 2023–July 2024), warned of a disturbing surge in blasphemy accusations, often linked to the use of fake pornographic and blasphemous websites to entrap individuals. The report blamed the FIA’s Cybercrime unit, often working with private actors, for initiating most of these cases.
It further noted a dramatic increase in prosecutions following the enactment of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act in 2018. Many accused were allegedly lured into online conversations by women using fake identities, then arrested for sharing or engaging in blasphemous content.
The commission recorded 11 blasphemy cases in 2020, 9 in 2021, 64 in 2022, 213 in 2023, and a staggering 767 up to July 2024. While people from all religious backgrounds have been accused, the majority were Muslims. CRSS data shows that from 1947 to 2021, of the 1,415 accused, 947 were Muslims and 421 were non-Muslims — including 225 Christians, 174 Ahmadis, 20 Hindus, and one each Sikh and Buddhist.
One of the most prominent cases linked to the blasphemy law was the 2011 assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer by his bodyguard, after Taseer publicly called for reform.
During Tuesday’s hearing, the court also voiced concern over the disappearance of Komal Ismail, alias “Iman,” a key figure accused of entrapping several individuals in blasphemy-related cases. She went missing in November 2023, shortly after the case was filed. The court had previously blocked her national identity card and imposed a travel ban for failing to appear.
“Her life may be in danger. What measures can the government take in such a case?” Justice Khan asked, expressing concern over her safety.
The court’s directive marks a significant step in addressing long-standing concerns over the exploitation of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, which critics say have often been used as tools of personal revenge, suppression, or extortion.
