Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are being systematically misused to target religious minorities, dispossess the poor, and settle personal and economic disputes, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a damning report released today.
The 29-page report, titled “A Conspiracy to Grab the Land: Exploiting Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws for Blackmail and Profit,” documents how blasphemy accusations are increasingly being weaponised to incite mob violence, displace vulnerable communities, and seize their property with impunity.
“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,” said Patricia Gossman, HRW’s Associate Asia Director. “The Pakistani government should urgently reform its blasphemy laws to prevent them from being weaponised.”
Between May 2024 and January 2025, HRW researchers conducted interviews across Lahore, Gujranwala, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Islamabad, speaking with 14 people accused of blasphemy, as well as lawyers, judges, prosecutors, human rights defenders, and journalists.
Blasphemy remains a capital offense in Pakistan, punishable by death. Although the state has not executed anyone under the law, HRW notes that mere accusations have triggered mob violence resulting in dozens of deaths over the past decade. The accused often endure long pretrial detentions, unfair trials, and the constant threat of extrajudicial killing.
The report underscores that marginalised communities—especially Christians, Ahmadis, and the poor—bear the brunt of the abuse. Many live in informal settlements without legal land titles, making them particularly vulnerable to forced evictions following blasphemy-related violence. HRW found that entire neighborhoods have been emptied after mobs attacked, with community members fleeing in fear, leaving their homes and businesses behind.
In several cases, blasphemy accusations were used to target business rivals or coerce property transfers. The law’s broad and vague provisions allow it to be exploited with minimal or no evidence, creating a climate of fear among vulnerable groups.
HRW also criticised Pakistan’s criminal justice system for enabling these abuses. Authorities rarely hold perpetrators of mob violence accountable, while police often fail to protect the accused or investigate allegations. In some instances, officers who intervene face threats themselves. Political and religious actors accused of inciting violence frequently escape arrest or are acquitted due to lack of political will or intimidation.
HRW called on the Pakistani government to repeal the blasphemy laws, immediately release those imprisoned under such charges, and investigate all blasphemy-related violence—particularly incidents leading to displacement and property seizure. The report also urged authorities to implement safeguards against coerced sales or transfers of land and businesses following accusations.
“The government’s indifference to the abuses under the blasphemy law and the violence it provokes is discriminatory and violates the rights to fundamental freedoms,” Gossman said. “By failing to act, Pakistani authorities are not just tolerating injustice—they are enabling it.”