Pakistan: HRFP demands justice for blasphemy accused Farhan Masih, others - World News Network

Faisalabad [Pakistan], February 13 (ANI): Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) on Thursday condemned the ongoing violations of minority rights in Pakistan, where religious minorities, particularly Christians and Hindus, face severe persecution and discrimination.
The HRFP said that the communities are subjected to forced conversions, abductions, and physical violence, with the abuse of blasphemy laws intensifying their vulnerability.
“Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) strongly condemns the violations of minority rights across Pakistan, where religious minorities continue to face severe persecution and discrimination,” HRFP said in a statement.
It added, “Religious minorities are routinely subjected to forced conversions, especially targeting young women and girls belonging to Christian and Hindu families, while the misuse of blasphemy laws has created an atmosphere of fear and vulnerability as there is an addition of recent case of Christian youth Farhan Masih who has been accused on 26 January 2025 by local Islamic cleric Muhammad Bilal Khan with another man Tasleem Khan in district Sahiwal.”
HRFP further said that a FIR was registered at the local police station on the same day, stating by the complainant that Farhan Masih had used desecrated against Muslims and Islam under the charges of 295A/298A and 7-ATA of PPC.
Section 295 A calls for imprisonment of up to 10 years for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs; and 298 A with a punishment of up to 10 years in prison for disrespecting and companions of the prophet of Islam; and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, includes a clause related to causing civil commotion or unrest and is punishable by a minimum five years jail term, HRFP further elaborated.
“While through Fact Findings mission trip, the HRFP team found that Farhan Masih, a resident of Chak # 134/9L Sahiwa, had been working in a hospital and accused of blasphemy because the accuser Muhammad Bilal Khan was mocking and Farhan asked them to stop as both have also a history to know each other’s and the small conflict directed by the personal grudge to accusing of blasphemy by the complainant, HRFP team founds the facts,” HRFP said.
Farhan Masih’s family members shared with the HRFP team that he quit the job by force from some people alleging he was addicted to drugs. HRFP team met Farhan’s family and assured them of every possible support until justice.
Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) said minorities often suffer physical violence, property loss, and social exclusion, and have limited access to justice, especially when they become accused of blasphemy and victims forcefully conversions.
He said the abductions, forced conversions and forced marriage of young Christian and Hindu girls, the blasphemy charges, false theft allegations, discriminations at workplaces, attacks on individuals and communities, murders and rising-up abuses has exposed the law enforcements of claiming to protect minorities.
Naveed Walter said that the situation is further exacerbated by institutional discrimination in education, careers and employment as well. He said despite some of the constitutional guarantees the violations against religious freedom and equal rights, the practical reality for Pakistan’s minorities remains them marginalization and puts them constantly under threats, away from their basic human rights, he added. (ANI)

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