About 552 people are currently in jails in the Punjab Province of Pakistan as cases of alleged blasphemy spiked in the country, Morning Star News is reporting.
Another 103 persons were charged with the same offence in the first six months of 2024.
Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) based in Lahore stated this in a recent report.
CSJ said there has been an upsurge in religiously motivated killings and lynching in the past two years.
“In 2023, at least six persons or individuals were killed by private persons after the alleged blasphemy accusations.
“Along with two extrajudicial killings, another three persons alleged of blasphemy died in jail between June 2023 and 2024. Hence, a total of 11 persons alleged of blasphemy have lost their lives in the past 18 months, including the latest incident in Madyan, Swat,” the report said.
The group criticised the giving of powers to the Federal Investigation Agency to investigate cybercrimes related to blasphemy laws, as well as empowering anti-terrorism courts to prosecute cases under Section 295-A of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The report said, “This has resulted in abuse of authority and miscarriage of justice. Therefore, there is an exponential increase in the number of alleged blasphemy cases with FIA. On the other hand, the perpetrators of mob violence, in particular, get away with through the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.”
Meanwhile, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has again recommended Pakistan among the worst violators of religious freedom.
The commission, in its 2024 report, recommended the country as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing its blasphemy law as a prime source of religious freedom violation.
It said there have been widespread abuses of religious freedom, including blasphemy laws, forced conversion of minority girls, and targeted violence against religious minorities.
USCIRF also noted that the mere accusation of blasphemy can lead to mob violence, extrajudicial killings, and mass protests, creating a climate of fear and intimidation.
Section 295-A, B, and C of the Pakistan Penal Code have been criticised because individuals have misused them to settle personal scores or target faithful of minority religions in the country, which comprises 96 per cent of Muslims.
Christians and members of other religions, including Hindus and Ahmadis, have been accused falsely and imprisoned under these laws.
Earlier, the Christian Watchdog group Open Doors, in its 2024 World Watch List, ranked Pakistan seventh among 50 countries where it is difficult to be a Christian.