By Julia A. Seymour
False accusations of blasphemy, forced marriages, and social hostility face Christians in Pakistan, where many view non-Muslims as a lower class and not even Pakistani, according to International Christian Concern’s William Stark.
Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy law makes it illegal to speak against Islam. Todd Nettleton, director of media development at Voice of the Martyrs, said the law is used as a weapon. Worst of all, accusers don’t need any proof. There are no consequences for false accusations, but anyone accused is arrested and imprisoned during the investigation.
Although Pakistan has never executed anyone for blasphemy, vigilantes frequently entrap and sometimes kill those accused. They have created a climate of fear, forcing frightened judges into holding court sessions inside jails and keeping witnesses from coming to defend the accused. Two prominent politicians who criticized the law were murdered in recent years.
Human Rights Watch said in its 2014 report that “abuses are rife under the country’s abusive blasphemy law, which is used against religious minorities, often to settle personal disputes.”
Read more at http://www.worldmag.com/2014/02/pakistan_s_blasphemy_laws_create_open_season_for_christian_persecution