ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A Christian man faces potential life-threatening blasphemy charges in Pakistan after allegedly being entrapped by an online group using sophisticated social media manipulation tactics, highlighting the growing dangers faced by religious minorities in the country.
Ishtiaq Masih, a 30-year-old sweeper from Islamabad, has been imprisoned since November 2022 after an unknown woman in a WhatsApp group sent him graphic images disrespectful to Islam’s prophet Muhammad. Masih claims he immediately deleted the images and did not create or distribute them.
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The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) charged Masih under three controversial blasphemy statutes: Sections 295-A, 295-B, and 295-C. These laws prescribe severe punishments for alleged religious offenses: Section 295-C can carry the death penalty for disrespecting the Prophet Muhammad, Section 295-B mandates life imprisonment for defiling the Quran, and Section 295-A allows up to 10 years imprisonment for deliberate acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
These statutes have been increasingly used to target religious minorities and vulnerable populations in Pakistan. Digital rights organizations paint a stark picture of escalating online persecution. The Digital Rights Foundation reports that over 500 individuals have been targeted through social media platforms since 2020, with 70% facing blasphemy allegations. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority documented a 300% increase in online blasphemy complaints between 2020 and 2022.
“My son Ishtiaq is a good man. He had no involvement in any illicit activities,” said Saleem Masih, Ishtiaq’s father. The younger Masih had been working as a sweeper for the Capital Development Authority after struggling to find employment.
According to court documents, Masih was lured into a WhatsApp group under the pretense of job hunting. An unknown female contact initiated conversations about Christianity and promised employment assistance before sending inflammatory images.
Masih’s lawyer, Lazar Allah Rakha, expressed optimism about the case.
“We have a strong position, and I firmly believe my client is innocent,” Rakha stated after the most recent court hearing on Nov. 20, 2024, where prosecution witnesses failed to appear and the plaintiff could not substantiate claims.
The case underscores broader concerns about Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which human rights organizations argue are frequently misused to harass religious minorities. International human rights groups have repeatedly urged Pakistani authorities to reform these statutes and protect freedom of expression.
The next court hearings are scheduled for December 10th and 11th in Islamabad, with Masih’s family and legal team hoping for his acquittal.
Saleem Masih has appealed to the global Christian community for prayers and support, maintaining faith in his son’s innocence. “The Lord is my shepherd, and He will deliver my son from death,” he said.
As Masih’s trial continues, his case represents a critical test of Pakistan’s judicial system and its treatment of religious minorities in an increasingly digital landscape of potential persecution.
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Nasir Jamil is a writer for Global Christian Relief (GCR), America’s leading watchdog organization focused on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide. In addition to equipping the Western church to advocate and pray for the persecuted, GCR works in the most restrictive countries to protect and encourage Christians threatened by faith-based discrimination and violence.
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