Pak court overturns death sentence of Muslim woman in blasphemy case

A Pakistani court has overturned the death sentence of a Muslim woman who was convicted in a high-profile blasphemy case. The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench acquitted Aniqa Atiq, citing serious procedural flaws in the prosecution’s case. Aniqa had been sentenced to death in January 2022 by a special court of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Rawalpindi after being accused of sending blasphemous messages to the complainant, Hasanat Farooq. The case began when the FIA arrested Aniqa in 2020 based on Farooq’s complaint. However, during the appeal hearing, the court found that the prosecution failed to properly substantiate the charges against her. The two-judge panel, consisting of Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Chaudhry Waheed, noted the lack of forensic evidence and highlighted that the FIA had not followed proper legal procedures. Aniqa’s lawyer, Saiful Malook, argued that the Cyber Crime Wing had never seized Aniqa’s mobile phone, nor was any forensic analysis conducted on relevant devices. Interestingly, the court discovered that the mobile phone in question belonged not to Aniqa but to another woman. When asked if this other woman had been named as a co-accused, the prosecution responded negatively. Justice Khan also questioned the complainant about maintaining contact with Aniqa for over a year despite no apparent religious connection, further casting doubt on the prosecution's narrative. Aniqa Atiq now becomes the first Muslim woman and only the third woman overall to be sentenced to death in a blasphemy case in Pakistan. The other two women, Aasia Bibi and Shagufta Bibi, belong to the Christian minority. Aasia Bibi’s case, which drew international attention, ended with her acquittal in 2018, after which she left Pakistan for Europe. Blasphemy cases in Pakistan have surged dramatically in recent years. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the number of registered blasphemy cases jumped from just 9 in 2021 to over 475 in 2024. This sharp rise is largely attributed to exploitation of blasphemy laws for personal vendettas, land disputes, and extortion, often fueled by fabricated accusations spread on social media platforms. The court’s decision to acquit Aniqa highlights ongoing concerns about the way blasphemy laws are enforced in Pakistan. The FIA's mishandling of evidence and failure to follow legal protocols were openly criticized during the appeal. This case draws attention to the urgent need for reforms to ensure fair trials and prevent misuse of blasphemy laws, which can have devastating consequences for the accused, especially in a highly sensitive social and religious context. Many human rights activists and legal experts believe that this acquittal could set an important precedent. It underscores the necessity for thorough investigations and strict adherence to legal standards in such sensitive cases. The ruling also signals the judiciary's willingness to scrutinize flawed prosecutions, which might provide some hope for others facing similar accusations unjustly. Still, the rising number of blasphemy accusations and their often arbitrary use remain a worrying trend in Pakistan’s legal and social landscape.