ISLAMABAD: During a recent session of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, the National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (NHRC) presented a report indicating that 179 individuals were currently in detention and facing trials across the country on charges of blasphemy, while the courts have already sentenced 17 individuals.
Senator Walid Iqbal, the committee’s chairman, requested this information in a meeting following a violent incident in Jaranwala, where a mob destroyed houses and churches over blasphemy allegations. Senator Iqbal emphasized the need for details about the application of these laws against Muslims as well.
The committee also agreed to establish a national coordination committee within the Ministry of Human Rights to develop standard operating procedures aimed at effectively addressing issues that cause suffering to minority groups.
According to the NHRC report, the breakdown of individuals facing blasphemy charges by province is as follows: 17 in Islamabad, 18 in Punjab, 78 in Sindh, 55 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 1 in Balochistan. The report also noted that authorities convicted 17 people, with 11 convictions in Islamabad, 4 in Sindh, and 2 in Balochistan, while there were no convictions from Punjab and KPK.
Senator Iqbal expressed concerns about the potential misuse of blasphemy laws for personal vendettas and stated that the committee would explore ways to prevent such misuse. They plan to invite Senator Sherry Rehman to discuss measures to prevent the misuse of these laws and examine a previously introduced bill on blasphemy laws. In their next meeting, they aim to gather more comprehensive information from the NHRC.
