ISLAMABAD – Blasphemy laws in Pakistan are fostering religious discrimination and enabling the targeting of vulnerable populations through illegal evictions and property seizures, according to a recent report. These accusations have had severe repercussions, with governmental bodies failing to prevent abuses or provide justice to those affected.

The report, titled “‘A Conspiracy to Grab the Land’: Exploiting pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws for Blackmail and Profit,” highlights how blasphemy accusations are used for personal financial benefit. False charges have incited mob violence, forcing entire communities to abandon their homes and making their land susceptible to seizure. Individuals seeking illicit gains have weaponized these accusations against rivals and businesses owned by religious minorities.

Patricia Gossman, associate Asia director, stated, “The Pakistani government should urgently reform its blasphemy laws to prevent them from being weaponized to blackmail rivals, settle personal scores, and attack marginalized communities. Failure to prosecute those responsible for incitement and attacks in the past has emboldened those who use these laws to extort and blackmail in the name of religion.”

Victims and Injustices

Researchers interviewed 14 individuals who faced blasphemy accusations, along with legal professionals, law enforcement, activists, and journalists, between May 2024 and January 2025 in various districts including lahore and Islamabad.

Blasphemy carries a death sentence in Pakistan. While executions are rare, accusations alone can be deadly. over the past decade, vigilantes have killed numerous people following such accusations.

Marginalized groups are disproportionately affected. Christians and Ahmadis often face forced displacement due to blasphemy accusations, leaving their informally-settled properties vulnerable to seizure.

Exploitation of the blasphemy law, especially the ease of making accusations for personal or economic gain, has created widespread fear.

“In my experience, almost all blasphemy accusations in Pakistan are driven by personal motives and mostly by economic reasons.”

The criminal justice system in Pakistan exhibits bias, leading to miscarriages of justice.Authorities rarely hold perpetrators of violence accountable, while the accused face lengthy detentions, lack of due process, and unfair trials.

Police frequently enough fail to protect those targeted in vigilante attacks, and may themselves face threats. Consequently, those responsible for mob violence, often protected by influential figures, evade arrest or are acquitted.

Recommendations

The report urges the Pakistani government to repeal the blasphemy law, release those imprisoned on such charges, and investigate all attacks and threats, especially those targeting religious minorities and resulting in forced evictions.It also calls for safeguards to prevent coerced property transfers following these incidents.

Gossman added, “The Pakistan government’s indifference to the abuses under the blasphemy law and the violence it provokes is discriminatory and violates the rights to fundamental freedoms.The authorities’ failure to hold those responsible for violence against religious minorities to account only encourages extremists and reinforces fear and insecurity among all minorities.”

Personal Accounts

Nadia (pseudonym), a Christian beautician from Lahore, faced threats after starting her own salon in 2019. A mob, led by a local cleric, attacked her salon, claiming she had desecrated the quran.Nadia denies the allegations, stating, “I respect all religions and didn’t even have a copy of the Bible at the salon. Why would I have a copy of the Quran? I would have to be entirely mad and suicidal to even think about disrespecting it.”

Firoz (pseudonym), a Christian school owner in Lahore, received threats in 2021 over alleged blasphemous comments by a teacher. A religious group demanded money to “atone” for the supposed sin. Firoz explained, “It soon became clear to me that it wasn’t about any remark or “blasphemy.” they asked me to donate PKR 200,000 (US$800) to their religious charity to “atone” for my sin… My religion made me additionally vulnerable. Though, a blasphemy accusation could also result in burning down of a school run by a Muslim. The truth of the allegation doesn’t matter. Now, I have started a cycle of blackmail, and they can extort me whenever.”

Mian Yasir, a lawyer, noted, “In my experience, almost all blasphemy accusations in Pakistan are driven by personal motives and mostly by economic reasons. The accusation is a weapon to settle all kinds of scores… Anyone can weaponize this against anyone at any time in Pakistan. This is the sad reality.”

in March 2013, Joseph Colony, a Christian community in Badami Bagh, was attacked following a blasphemy allegation against resident Sawan Masih. Over 100 homes where destroyed, and the community fled. Masih, later sentenced to death (but acquitted in 2020), claimed the attack was a conspiracy to seize the land. He stated, “They contrived a case under the blasphemy law.… They put up banners against me alleging blasphemy against the Prophet.… They played with the religious sentiments of the people.… They involved the local police to create fear and alarm among Christian residents who were threatened and told to leave the colony to save their lives.… This was a conspiracy to grab the colony.”