A criminal network in Pakistan is systematically abusing the country’s blasphemy laws for extortion, entrapping innocent individuals with false accusations, according to Christian and Muslim lawyers.
The scheme has reportedly affected at least 450 victims, leading to wrongful arrests and severe legal consequences, including life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Catholic lawyer and Member of Parliament Khalil Tahir Sandhu told Fides News Agency that families of those falsely accused, alongside their legal representatives, have publicly denounced the practice, demanding urgent intervention from law enforcement and the judiciary.
“The fraud has shaken many families, who are now calling on the government and the judicial authorities to ensure justice for those wrongfully detained,” Sandhu said.
The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) has confirmed the alarming trend through an independent investigation.
The commission’s findings detail how an organized group exploits blasphemy laws for financial gain, systematically targeting victims for extortion. According to the report, most victims come from low-income or middle-class backgrounds.
Official data shows that over 450 people have fallen prey to these fabricated charges, with more than 150 detainees in Adiala Jail, 170 in Lahore Jail and Kot Lakhpat Jail, and 55 in Karachi Central Jail.
Lawyers have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the judicial system. “These cases are clearly baseless and if this practice is not stopped, it will leave an indelible stain on the judiciary,” they warned.
Sardar Mushtaq Gill, lawyer and founder of the NGO Legal Evangelical Association Development (LEAD), stressed the urgency of the matter, saying, “This practice raises serious doubts about the transparency of our judicial system.”
“There is an urgent need to set up a transparent and impartial commission of inquiry to investigate and dismantle the organized group responsible for this conspiracy,” Gill added.
The scam reportedly operates through social media. Young men are approached via Facebook and other online platforms and lured into WhatsApp groups for private conversations.
Over time, they develop trust in individuals posing as young women. Eventually, the victim receives a message containing a blasphemous image or text.
When the victim, unaware of the trap, inquires about the content or forwards it back, they are immediately blocked and subsequently accused of spreading blasphemous material online.
According to legal advocates, some of those falsely accused have died in custody due to torture, raising concerns about collusion between law enforcement officials and the perpetrators. “This indicates a collusion between officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the federal agency that is supposed to shed light on these criminal practices,” lawyers noted.
The Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan (LCBP), a network of 13 organizations, claims to be “taking a firm stand against online blasphemy” but is suspected of having ties to the radical Islamic political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan.
Legal experts and human rights advocates are now calling for comprehensive investigations into these groups to expose their involvement in these fraudulent activities.
Gill underscored the severity of the issue, saying, “This alarming abuse of religious laws has become a terrible tool of extortion and raises serious concerns about the security and rights of all citizens.”
