Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan: Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) strongly condemns the blasphemy charges against Shazia Younas, a Christian woman from Gojra, Pakistan. Shazia aged 50 has been arrested since the charges of blasphemy on her on December 21st, 2024, just 4 days before Christmas when she was preparing for her, family and home for Christmas celebrations.

The incident happened in a remote village of Tehsil Gojra Chak 180, G.B, where Shazia was residing with her husband Younas Masih, a brick kiln worker and two sons.

As HRFP’s REAT Helpline received called, HRFP team rushed to the incident and with other immediate actions collected the facts and evidence from family, neighbors, villagers, and local police station.

HRFP team found that the first person named Muhammad Imran who alleged her and became witness, told local Mosque’s cleric named Itta-ul Mustafa about his blame. Itta-ul Mustafa became a plaintiff of First Information Report (FIR) stating in FIR that Shazia has committed blasphemy through burning Quranic and Islamic pages. Shazia was charged under Section 295-B of PPC and sent to judicial custody on the same day of incident.

Naveed Walter, president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP), said the charges against Shazia Younas were yet another false allegation levelled against a Christian woman by local fundamentalists out of personal vendetta. He said the witness Muhammad Imran and Muhammad Nawaz have been accused of theft in an animal’s issue by Shazia and family earlier and that is a revenge of that accusation.

Naveed Walter said as per blasphemy law Shazia has charged for desecration holy Quran under Section 295-B of PCC that’s punishable with imprisonment for lifetime but in prison the victims of blasphemy don’t know what can be done with them by anyone as it has been seen in such cases when victims has be attacked. Naveed Walter said that based on the facts, Shazia's allegations are false, just like other similar cases, which have been unproven.

Naveed Walter said the form of charges against Shazia Younas was the same as the one of same city Gojra on August 6, 2024, this year, when two sisters, Sonia and Saima, were accused of blasphemy while throwing garbage outside.

Naveed Walter, the president of Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) raised his grave concerns over the false accusation made against Shazia Younas as there are other blasphemy cases has also become known. He highlighted that the new incidents are continuing because the previous cases have been occurring for too long without any resolution. For example, in 2023, a horrific incident occurred in Jaranwala, where a violent mob set fire to and vandalized Churches and homes. Sadly, another incident occurred in May 2024 when a group of fanatics allegedly unleashed violence on Nazir Masih and his family, leading to his tragic death. The Christians will never forget the tragic incidents in Gojra and Koriyaan in 2009 and in a same city an incident took place again where the Shazia and family has been victimized, Naveed Walter added.

Naveed Walter, the president of HRFP said that this series of violence is not looks going to be ended because the government priorities are different. He said the neglecting of minorities is a daily practice, but the authorities will not be right to deprive the rights of minorities, he added.

Naveed Walter urged for the protection of minorities and to bring the perpetrators, and their facilitators to justice to make sure do not let the perpetrators go unpunished while to stop unfairly punishing innocent people as in Jaranwala issue have seen, he added.

Naveed Walter demanded that Shazia Younas be ensured safety in prison and justice and that she be released immediately, he added.

Naveed Walter said the Human Rights Focus Pakistan (HRFP) team is closely following and monitoring the case of Shazia Younas for more factual and lawful actions, as well as urgent helps on other similar current issues, he added.