Blasphemy Charges Against Christian Couple in Lahore Amplify Concerns for Religious Minority Rights in Pakistan:


September 09, 2023

A Christian couple in Lahore faces blasphemy charges after a complaint alleging Quran desecration, highlighting ongoing concerns over religious minority rights in Pakistan. 


A Christian couple in Lahore has been taken into custody following the registration of a blasphemy case against them. The case alleges that they desecrated a Quranic copy within the jurisdiction of North Cantonment Police Station on Saturday, as reported by Dawn newspaper, an English-language publication in Pakistan.


According to the complaint filed by Taimur, a resident of Harbanspura, he witnessed pages being thrown from the roof of a nearby house while standing at a food shop near the Rangers headquarters. Upon picking up the pages, he discovered them to be from the Holy Quran.


Taimur claims that he approached the house and inquired about the person responsible for discarding the pages. The woman who answered the door indicated that it might have been her minor daughters or son. Despite this response, Taimur insisted on inspecting the house, and the woman granted him access.


Upon reaching the rooftop of the house, Taimur reported finding more Quranic pages in a pink-colored bag near the water tank. He subsequently contacted the police, who arrived at the scene and confiscated the pages, as reported by Dawn.

The woman and her husband have been charged with blasphemy under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code by the North Cantonment police. Both suspects have been arrested and are awaiting legal proceedings, according to SP Awais Shafique.

According to CPRP sources, the children of this couple have special needs and require their parents' constant care. Our partners were able to secure custody of the children from the police.