Khairpur, Pakistan – (Date: 13-09-2023)

 

In a troubling turn of events, Allama Syed Surbulnd Ali Shah, a renowned Shi’a Muslim cleric, has been booked under Pakistan’s blasphemy law in Khairpur, Sindh. The First Information Report (FIR) was registered by Sindh Police Khairpur under Section 298-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) following allegations of blasphemous language used during a ‘Mourning Gathering’ (Majlis-e-Aza). The complainant, affiliated with Tehreek Laibak Pakistan-TLP, filed the application for the FIR.

 

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the adage, “When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers,” as the Shi’a Muslim community, Pakistan’s largest religious minority, finds itself caught in the crossfire of a contentious legal landscape. The community faces increasing persecution through the misuse of blasphemy laws, with consequences that extend far beyond the realm of jurisprudence.

 

The misuse of these laws has escalated since 2020, a year marked by a surge in blasphemy cases against Shi’a Muslims, as documented in the report titled ‘Blasphemy Cases in Pakistan: 1947 – 2021,’ published by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). However, Shi’a human rights defenders argue that the actual figures surpass those mentioned in the CRSS report, highlighting the need to acknowledge the gravity of the situation.

 

“In 2020 alone, more than 4000 FIRs were registered against Shi’a Muslims, invoking various provisions of the Blasphemy Laws, including Section 298-A of PPC, in different police stations across Lahore during the month of Muharram. Just two months after the approval of the controversial sectarian bill, we have received copies of 56 FIRs registered in various police stations nationwide against Shi’a Muslims under Sections 298-A and 295-A of PPC. The allegations remain consistent across all FIRs: the alleged desecration of figures not sacred in Shi’a Islam,” stated Sayyid G.A. Tirmizi, an investigative journalist and Shi’a human rights defender based in Lahore.

 

HRCP alarmed by surge in blasphemy cases against Shia community Lahore, 5 September. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) is gravely concerned at the recent surge in blasphemy cases being registered against sectarian and religious minorities, particularly the Shia community, and the potential for ensuing sectarian violence. Anecdotal evidence suggests that over 40 such cases may have been registered under the blasphemy laws in the last month alone. HRCP believes that the state has effectively abdicated its responsibilities under international human rights law by leaving those accused of blasphemy to the mercy of mobs, or trials that are marred by glaring legal and procedural flaws. It is well established that in most cases, those accused of blasphemy are eventually acquitted on appeal, but often after protracted periods in custody and trials that risk the lives of the accused, their lawyers and judges at the hands of organised far-right groups. HRCP demands that the state uphold all citizens’ right to freedom of religion or belief. The police must also refrain from registering blasphemy cases so promptly, knowing full well the sensitive implications of doing so when such complaints are often fabricated and spurred on by personal vendettas. On behalf of Dr Mehdi Hasan Chairperson

 

Shi’a Muslims are increasingly targeted under Section 298-A of PPC, whether for organizing ‘Mourning Gatherings’ (Majalis-e-Aza) within the confines of their homes or displaying the Alam—a heavy metal object adorned with intricate figurines and engravings—on their rooftops during ceremonies commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Husain and his companions at the battle of Karbala in AD 680. Shockingly, even the simple act of chanting the slogan ‘Ya Ali Madad’ (Help, ‘O’ Ali Ibn Abi Talib) has led to police cases under Section 298-A.

 

The proverb, “The darkest hour has only sixty minutes,” serves as a poignant reminder of the urgency required to address the misapplication of blasphemy laws in Pakistan. Blasphemy laws are being weaponized against Shi’a Muslims, jeopardizing their religious freedom and fostering a climate of fear. “There is a prayer called Ziyarat-e-Ashura, a sacred practice for every Shi’a Muslim, recited on the eve of the 10th of Muharram. Shi’a Muslims are now facing blasphemy charges for reciting ‘Ziyarat-e-Ashura’ in public. Our religious freedom and the right to practice our faith are under threat in Pakistan,” warned Allama Shahryar Naqvi, a prominent Pakistani Shiite scholar, in conversation with the Shi’a Muslim Genocide website.

 

Read:  https://shiamuslimgenocide.com/more-room-for-persecution/

 

 

This incident underscores the urgent need for a thorough review of blasphemy laws in Pakistan and the protection of minority religious rights in the country. Concerns continue to mount as the Shi’a Muslim community faces heightened persecution through both legal and extrajudicial means, making it imperative to heed the proverb, “A stitch in time saves nine,” before the situation worsens further.

 

References:

 

https://crss.pk/blasphemy-cases-in-pakistan-1947-2021/

 

https://shiamuslimgenocide.com/poor-sindhi-shia-booked-under-blasphemy-law-in-khairpur-sindh/

 

https://shiamuslimgenocide.com/shia-cleric-implicated-under-blasphemy-laws/

 

https://shiamuslimgenocide.com/parliament-legalized-the-shia-persecution/

https://thediplomat.com/2023/02/an-alarming-new-bill-takes-aim-at-pakistans-shias/