Pakistan’s government appears poised to reform its long-criticised blasphemy laws after a sweeping crackdown on a hardline Islamist group and an announcement by the law minister signalled fresh intent to curb the misuse of religious legislation blamed for decades of violence and injustice.
Federal Minister for Law and Human Rights, Azam Nazeer Tarar, announced on 16 October that the government would introduce new “procedural safeguards” to prevent false blasphemy accusations, ensure fair investigations and guarantee judicial sensitivity in such cases.
Blasphemy remains a capital offence in Pakistan when directed at the Prophet Muhammad. Since 1990, dozens of people accused of the crime have been killed by mobs or extremists, prompting repeated calls from rights groups for reform or repeal of the laws, which date back to the British colonial era.
Speaking at a national symposium on Interfaith Harmony and Fundamental Rights – a Constitutional Imperative, organised by the Federal Judicial Academy and the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan under the Supreme Court’s auspices, Tarar highlighted government efforts to promote inclusivity through minority protection cells and human rights awareness programmes.
“Respect for minorities and protection of their rights lie at the heart of Pakistan’s constitution and remain a fundamental responsibility of the state,” Tarar said, according to the Press Information Department.
He urged the judiciary, religious scholars, media and civil society to work together in promoting compassion and interfaith understanding, calling such collaboration vital for social stability.
Punjab Christian parliamentarian Ejaz Alam Augustine welcomed the proposed reforms, saying that extremism in Pakistan had often been fuelled by misuse of blasphemy laws.
“While sacrilege can never be condoned, it is the misuse of these laws to settle personal scores and persecute vulnerable groups that has led to frequent incidents of violence in society,” Augustine said. He added that reforming the laws was essential to prevent false allegations and protect all faith communities.
In a parallel development, the federal government on 23 October approved a proposal from the Punjab administration to ban the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) under the Anti-Terrorism Act, following violent nationwide protests over Gaza that left several people dead and blocked major routes between Karachi and Islamabad.
Founded in 2015 as a pro-blasphemy movement, the TLP became a political party the following year. It was previously banned in 2021 after violent protests, though the restriction was lifted six months later on assurances it would renounce violence. Officials said the latest ban followed the party’s failure to uphold those promises.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the TLP had “acted like an extremist group and violated its prior commitments”.
An intelligence official quoted in The Friday Times said religious extremism in Pakistan had reached a level where decisive action against radical groups was now unavoidable. He cited recruitment data showing that 95 per cent of applicants for lower-level security posts agreed with the 2011 assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer by his bodyguard, Mumtaz Qadri, who was later executed.
The TLP rose to prominence defending Qadri and has since been linked to a sharp rise in blasphemy accusations and violent attacks on Christians and Ahmadis. In August 2023, hundreds of its supporters destroyed churches and Christian homes in Jaranwala, Faisalabad District, after two men were falsely accused of blasphemy. In June 2024, an elderly Christian, Nazeer Masih Gill, was lynched in Sargodha after being accused of burning the Quran.
Pakistan ranks eighth on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution.
