Christian in Pakistan Sentenced to Death under Blasphemy Law

Attorney and father shocked at verdict in case lacking evidence.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Bahawalpur, Pakistan on Tuesday (May 30) handed the death penalty to a 22-year-old Christian on an unsubstantiated conviction under the country’s blasphemy laws, sources said. Lazar Allah Rakha, attorney for Noman Masih, said that the sessions court announced its verdict at the New Central Jail Bahawalpur, in […]

Muslim, Police in Pakistan Beat and Confine Pregnant Christian

Mother of five held in employer’s home for a week.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian housecleaner in Pakistan was beaten and illegally confined for a week by her Muslim employers after she tried to leave her job due to pregnancy, she said. Asma Gulfam, a 28-year-old Catholic maid in the Paka Ghara area of Sialkot District, Punjab Province, said she had worked for […]

Two Christians, 18 and 14, Accused of Blasphemy in Pakistan

Family devastated as youths jailed on baseless charge.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Babar Sandhu Masih was resting after lunch on Thursday afternoon (May 18) when he heard a commotion outside his house in the Qurban Lines neighborhood of Lahore, Pakistan. Masih went outside to find his neighbor, policeman Zahid Sohail, beating his son and another Christian boy. His son Adil, 18, and […]

Christian Widow Accused of Blasphemy Released on Bail

School worker threatened with life imprisonment under draconian statutes. 

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A court in Pakistan on Saturday (May 13) released on bail a Christian woman charged under a blasphemy statute that calls for life in prison, her attorney said. Lazar Allah Rakha told Morning Star News that Arifwala Additional Sessions Judge Ijaz Ahmad Phulwaran on Friday (May 12) admitted the post-arrest bails of […]

Christian Widow, Muslim Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan

Illiterate workers accused of intentionally burning pages of Koran.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Christian widow and a Muslim gardener were arrested in Pakistan this month on blasphemy charges after they were accused of intentionally burning papers containing koranic verses, attorneys said. The accusations arose when 46-year-old Mussarat Bibi and the Muslim, Muhammad Sarmad, were cleaning the storeroom of the Government Girls Higher […]

Excessive Bail Bond Required of Christian in Pakistan

Jailed on baseless blasphemy charge for more than three years. 

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Catholic who spent more than three years in jail on a baseless blasphemy charge had to pay an exorbitant amount of bail for release this month, just one example of gross injustices against him and other Christians, his attorney said. The maximum amount for bail under Section 295-C of […]

Christian Girl Kidnapped by 60-Year-Old Muslim in Pakistan

Police slow to respond to alleged forcible conversion, marriage. 

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Arif Gill said he lost hope of finding his 15-year-old daughter – abducted by a 60-year-old Muslim who forcibly married her and converted her to Islam – until police in Pakistan finally registered a case after nearly two months. Sitara Arif, also known as Saira, was kidnapped on Dec. 15 […]

Christian Farm Laborer Beaten to Death in Pakistan

Muslim landowner and others accuse him of theft.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Muslim landowner in Pakistan on Monday (Feb. 6) beat a Catholic farm laborer to death, claiming he had stolen oranges from his orchard, the victim’s family said. The killing follows the shooting death last month of another Christian in the country after he stopped Muslims from stealing from his […]

Muslim Throws Acid on Young Christian Woman in Pakistan

Would-be suitor confesses to retaliation attack. 

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – A Muslim in Karachi, Pakistan on Wednesday (Feb. 1) threw acid on a 19-year-old Christian woman for refusing his pressure to enter into relationship and convert to Islam, sources said. Sunita Masih, who lives with her sister after the death of her parents, left the house in Masoom Shah Colony, […]

Bill in Pakistan Would Expand Misused Blasphemy Law

Muslim threatens colleague in retaliation over work conflict.

LAHORE, Pakistan (Morning Star News) – Pakistan’s lower house of parliament has passed legislation to make the country’s blasphemy laws stricter even as their blatant misuse again came to light in a threat to falsely charge a Christian woman. The woman, a Catholic widow, was terrified after a Muslim colleague threatened to file the false blasphemy […]