HRFP demands justice for Farhan Javed Masih, another accused of blasphemy & dozens of other people who were religiously victimized!
Faisalabad (13 February 2025): Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) strongly condemns the violations of minority rights across Pakistan, where religious minorities continue to face severe persecution and discrimination.
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 other man Tasleem Khan in district Sahiwal.
First Information Report (FIR) was registered at the local police station on a same day, stating by the complainant that Farhan Masih has used desecrated against Muslims and Islam under the charges of 295A/298A and 7-ATA of PPC, as the section 295A 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 elaborates.
While through Fact Findings mission trip, HRFP team founds that Farhan Masih a resident of Chak # 134/9L Sahiwal have 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.
Farhan Masih’s family members Anam Javed, and his mother Parveen Javed shared with HRFP team that Farhan Masih quits the job by force from some people alleging he was addicted of drugs. HRFP team met Farhan’s family and assured them for every possible support throughout, until the justice.
HRFP is highly concerned through the provision of possible assistance while there is longer list of recent cases of Christians like, on 20 January 2025, a Christian girl Ariha Gulzar has abducted and forcefully converted and forcibly married to Sajjad Baloch in district Okara. Also, on 15 January 2025, Alvin Masih is abducted by Babar Ali of Paroya Builder in district Wazirabad. In the same month, on 9 January 2025, Saneha Sharif was abducted and raped by Muhammad Dildar and Muhammad Shabir in district Sialkot. On the 8 January 2025, lady health visitor, Mukhtaran Bibi was murdered by Nalain Abbas in the district Mian Channu. There is another case of dated, 6 January 2025, when a mysteriously the second secretary at the embassy of Germany, Thomas Jurgen Bielefeld was found dead in Diplomatic Enclave Islamabad but later the embassy considered that heart attacks. On the same date of 6 January 2025, Christian woman Shabana Bibi and her daughter, Misbah Bibi were also attacked during an attempt to kidnap in district Gujranwala by two men who also started firing and Shabana was killed whereas Misbah was severely injured and hospitalized. On 5 January 2025, another Christian girl Saba Shafique was abducted, forcefully converted & married forcibly with Muhammad Ali in Lahore. Also, on 3 January 2025, Christian man Sahil Masih killed in Karachi. There is a recent case of Javed Masih who faced physical violence on 11 February 2025 in district Sahiwal during an attempt to murder him, HRFP added further. Whereas only in December 2024, on 29th, Christian man Salman Iqbal was killed by Abdul Rahman and his friends in Gujranwala as he refused to give his land to Abdul Rehman. Before it, on 21 December 2024, Christian woman Shazia Younas was accused of blasphemy by local Islamic cleric Atta Mustafa in Gojra District Toba Tek Singh.
HRFP team shared that the cases of Hindus are also continued, as on 22 January 2025, a girl Sanam Gul was abducted, forcefully converted, and forcibly married to Yaseen Ali in Sohrab Goth Karachi. Before it on 9 December 2024, another Hindu girl Kajol Kumari alias Javeria was abducted, forcefully converted, got married forcibly to Punhun Muhammad in Mirpur Khas. Also, on 18 November 2024, another Hindu girl Parthi was abducted, forcefully converted, and got married forcibly to Bagh Ali in district Sanghar. On 12 September 2024, a Hindu girl Pujam was abducted, forcefully converted, and got married forcibly to Rameez Ali in Mir Pur Khas.On 29 September 2024, a Hindu girl Diviya was abducted, forcefully converted, and got married forcibly to unknown in Layari Karachi. On 14 September 2024, Hindu girl Meena Lohar was abducted, forcefully converted, and got married forcibly to Asif Khamber in Daghari Sindh. Also, on 12 August 2024, Saneha Bheel was abducted, forcefully converted, and got married forcibly to Muhammad Fahad in district Mir Pur Khas, HRFP further added.
These are just registered or social media highlighted issues while more than knowns have not been registered or never brought up through social media, so no one knows those yet, HRFP shared.
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, he added.
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.
Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) in the light of its vision for the protection and promotion, of the rights of the religious minorities functioning “REAT Helpline (24/7)” at the HRFP office having a toll-free number (0800-0-9494) at district Faisalabad since 2013.
As HRFP’s REAT Helpline receives thousands of complaints/calls a year, and in 2024 itself, REAT Helpline received 1198 phone calls of human rights violations particularly the issues of religion and beliefs, were the most recorded.
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