blasphemy law strikes again in Pakistan, death penalty abolished for certain crimes
In Lahore, police charged Amir Masih under Article 295-C of the Penal Code without any investigation, relying solely on the First Information Report. The NGO Dignity First praises the upper house for approving a partial abolition of the death penalty, a first step towards reforming the judicial system.
Lahore (AsiaNews) – The threat of the blasphemy law continues to hang over Pakistanis as more false accusations area made, sowing fear and insecurity.
One of the latest cases occurred last week, on 17 July, when Sanor Ali, who runs a grocery store called Rana General Store in Nishat Colony, Lahore Cantonment, reported an act of blasphemy by a Christian man.
According to the accused, Amir Masih came to his shop and began talking to him, saying that life in Pakistan was becoming difficult and that he wanted to leave the country. He then suggested to the grocer that he too should leave Pakistan for a better future.
According to the First Information Report (FIR No. 2916/25), Amir Masih began talking about religious issues, railing against Islam, and uttering offensive words against the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the FIR, the grocer called his brother Muhammad Sarwar and, with his help, stopped Amir Masih from speaking, upon which the latter fled.
Solely based on Sanor Ali's statement without any investigation, police filed charges under Article 295-C of the Penal Code, which concerns the crime of defiling the name of Muhammad.
The FIR ends with a request for the Christian man's arrest.
The Penal Code of Pakistan provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment, as well as a fine, for anyone who uses words, explicit representations, or any utterance that defames the Prophet.
Meanwhile, the organisation Dignity First welcomed the Senate's decision on 19 July to "abolish the death penalty for certain crimes” with the death penalty commuted to life in prison for crimes under Articles 354-A and 402-C of the Penal Code.
Dignity First “has always maintained that the death penalty is a cruel, inhumane, undignified, and fundamental violation of the right to life,” said its Executive Director Yousaf Benjamin in a press release on 19 July 2025.
“We commend the members of the Senate,” it reads, “especially Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, for this courageous and realistic decision. Harsher punishments do not necessarily lead to a reduction in crime rates.”
Yousaf Benjamin stressed that the experience of developed countries has “proven that judicial system transparency, effective law enforcement, and the certainty of arrest and punishment for criminals are what truly deter crime.”
While the Senate initiative does not completely abolish the death penalty, it represents a major step towards reducing the possibility of miscarriages of justice and preventing irreversible punishment for the innocent.
This measure is essential to upholding human rights and creating a just society.
Dignity First urges the Government of Pakistan to swiftly enact this law and implement further reforms that will pave the way for the complete abolition of the death penalty in the country.
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