Govt Must Take Prompt Action To Prevent Extrajudicial Killings In Name Of Religion: HR Activists

News Desk

Human rights activists have highlighted their concerns about the rise of extrajudicial killings and mob violence committed in the name of religion, as evidenced by the lynching of Waris outside a police station in Nankana Sahib over the purported accusation of defiling the Holy Quran.

They have pleaded with the government to act to end the abuse of blasphemy laws, safeguard victims from mob violence, and implement current laws to penalise anyone who attacks a police station, makes unfounded claims, or uses violence.

Voice for Justice Chairperson Joseph Jansen said,  “It is sad that announcements are made from mosques to mobilise people using the potentially fatal allegation of blasphemy, and the crowd is aroused for engaging in violence in the name of religion without asking if the accused has committed any act of blasphemy purposefully or accidentally.”

Joseph noted that Pakistan received 15 recommendations from countries in the 3rd cycle of its Universal Periodic Review, and 12 recommendations in the 4th cycle, urging Pakistani authorities to take serious legal and administrative measures to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws.

It is regrettable that people resort to using force to enact ‘mob justice’, as this shows a lack of faith in the legal system and the police: HRs Activist Ashkinaz Khokhar

Khokhar stated that in order to stop the trend of mob justice and create a society that upholds the law and is tolerant, the government must implement legislative and administrative safeguards. At least 90 people have been extrajudicially executed or lynched on the pretext of blasphemy accusations.

Activist said that the government must make public all the inquiries conducted in cases involving violence, including Shanti Nagar (1997), and take effective measures in light of the recommendations made in those inquiries, including Gojra (2009).

Ilyas Samuel lamented that the deceased Waris had just been released from prison after being found innocent in a blasphemy case that had been filed in 2019. However, police personnel failed to defend the life of an innocent person in the Warburton police station in Nankana Sahib and failed to stop the mob from treating the blasphemy accused in a degrading manner, calling into doubt the function of law enforcement organisations.

Due to the government’s inability to de-radicalize citizens and its lack of political will to seriously prosecute those responsible and enact meaningful reforms to the laws governing offences relating to defamation of religion: Nadia Stephen

Nadia Stephen noted that due to the government’s inability to de-radicalize citizens and its lack of political will to seriously prosecute those responsible and enact meaningful reforms to the laws governing offences relating to defamation of religion, there has been an increase in violence committed in the name of religion.

Nadia added that Pakistani citizens should refrain from committing violent acts in response to provocation from individuals involved in spreading a narrative that poses a threat to the country’s diverse groups’ ability to coexist peacefully.