Two Christian nurses have been acquitted of blasphemy in Pakistan, ending a case that began more than four years ago and forced them into hiding under threat of mob violence. A district court ruled that the prosecution failed to substantiate the charge.
Mariam Lal and Newosh Arooj, who were charged under Section 295-B of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which mandates life imprisonment for damaging Qur’anic text, were acquitted in November 2025, and the deadline for authorities to appeal the ruling passed this week, according to Aid to the Church in Need.
The charges followed accusations by a senior doctor in April 2021 that the nurses, who worked in Civil Hospital in Punjab Province’s Faisalabad city, had defiled a sticker with an Islamic inscription pasted on a hospital cupboard.
As word spread, the nurses narrowly escaped an attempted lynching by an angry crowd and were detained by authorities. Both women remained in custody for five months before being allowed to await trial outside of jail for safety reasons.
The court later permitted them to avoid public appearances, citing credible threats to their lives. Throughout the proceedings, the nurses were unable to work and required security measures due to ongoing intimidation.
Their legal defense was conducted by the National Commission for Justice and Peace, a Catholic body backed by Aid to the Church in Need.
Local advocates called the ruling a rare instance of a lower court acquitting defendants in a blasphemy case, which are typically deferred to higher courts due to social pressure.
Fr. Khalid Rashid Asi of NCJP said the decision showed the district judge acted independently based on the evidence presented.
While the nurses' families expressed relief, they remain under pressure.
“Our struggle now continues for the secure future, rehabilitation and dignified reintegration of the nurses,” Asi told ACN.
He credited Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad and advocates Sanaullah Baig and Shahid Anwar for their efforts under threat. He also thanked the international community for its support.
“Their prayers, financial assistance, and international solidarity strengthened not only the two nurses but also reminded us that the Church and the global community do not remain silent in times of suffering,” Fr. Asi said.
John Pontifex, head of press and public affairs at ACN UK, who had met the nurses in 2023, said they never lost hope despite the danger.
The blasphemy law, embedded in Sections 295 and 298 of Pakistan's penal code, is frequently misused for personal revenge. While it permits the death penalty for those convicted of insulting Islam or its Prophet Muhammad, it carries no provision to punish a false accuser or a false witness of blasphemy.
Islamic radicals also use the law to target religious minorities, including Christians, Shias, Ahmadiyyas and Hindus.
A Lahore-based group, Centre for Social Justice, reported that 200 people were accused of blasphemy in 2020, a record number of cases in one year. In total, the group reports that at least 1,855 people have been charged under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws since 1987.
International advocates have long called on Pakistan to reform its penal code, as it is often used to persecute religious minorities.
