A Catholic Christian family has been forced to flee their home in Islamabad, Pakistan after the children's mother mentioned an anti-Muslim video that had been posted on Facebook.
The mother of three, who is remaining anonymous for her family's safety, is the latest victim of Pakistan's draconian anti-blasphemy laws.
"I have been living in Islamabad for eight years after my marriage. But we only had our clothes when we left. Is this justice? Did we deserve this punishment?" she told the independent Catholic news agency UCA.
Blasphemy against the Muslim Prophet Muhammad carries the mandatory death sentence in Pakistan and against the Quran, life imprisonment. Even though there have been no judicial executions, the law has inspired mob violence and killings even on the most spurious allegations.
The woman owed her Muslim neighbour about $115 and during an argument about the debt, he accused her of not respecting his religion. "I accidently shared about a recent Facebook video against the Prophet Muhammad arguing that we Pakistani Christians respect Muslims more than the rest of the world," she said. Her husband was called in to see community elders that afternoon and ordered to accept Islam or leave the city. He chose to leave, and was beaten before managing to get away with his family who are now in hiding.
More than 50 people have been murdered in the last 25 years after being charged with blasphemy since 1990, including 25 Muslims, 15 Christians, five Ahmadis, one Buddhist and a Hindu. Seventeen people are awaiting execution for blasphemy and 20 more are serving life sentences.
The Pakistan Supreme Court has called for improvements in the way blasphemy cases are processed.
The Catholic Church has campaigned for years for reform. In 1998, Bishop John Joseph of Faisalabad committed suicide on the steps of the Sahiwal courthouse to protest the death sentence of a Christian man who was subsequently acquitted by the Supreme Court.
Bishop Joseph Arshad, Bishop of Faisalabad in Punjab, said: "The introduction of these laws has created a division in Pakistani society. The poor are easily blamed. If one person is targeted, his family in particular and the Christian community in general is threatened. Not only Catholics but Muslims are also suffering due to the serious impact of this law."
