Christian Acquitted In Pakistan Blasphemy Case As New Attack Fuels Fears

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – A court in Pakistan’s Punjab province has acquitted Dennis Albert, a Christian man who had spent nearly 19 months in custody in a blasphemy case, but concerns remained Wednesday over the safety of Christians in the region after reports that another Christian family’s home was torched in an alleged revenge attack.

This week’s acquittal by the Lahore Sessions Court “brought relief to his family and members of Pakistan’s Christian community,” advocate Sardar Mushtaq Gill told Worthy News.

“The verdict, delivered by Additional District and Sessions Judge Abdul Ghaffar, ended a lengthy legal process that started with a [First Information Report] FIR at Shadman Police Station in Lahore,” he added.

Dennis Albert had been detained since December 2024 after being charged under Sections 295-A and 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code, provisions that criminalize insulting religious beliefs and desecrating the Quran, deemed a holy book by Muslims.

BLASPHEMY ACQUITTAL

His acquittal was welcomed by Christian leaders, lawyers, and human rights advocates, who said the ruling underscored the importance of evidence-based judgments and an independent judiciary in protecting the rights of all Pakistani citizens.

The case also renewed scrutiny of Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, which rights groups say are frequently misused to settle personal disputes, intimidate religious minorities, or seize property.

Even when defendants are acquitted, they often face continuing threats from extremist groups, forcing many into hiding or to flee their communities.

The acquittal came as another incident underscored the precarious position of Christians in Punjab.

FAMILY HOME TORCHED

In the town of Pattoki, a Christian family’s home was allegedly set ablaze after a dispute surrounding the reported theft of a battery from a local church.

According to local Christian sources, the house of Arshad Dina Masih, a servant at Baharwal Church in Baharwal Kalan village, was attacked after suspects allegedly poured petrol on the building and set it on fire.

Masih said suspicion over the theft had fallen on several local men, including a man identified as Muhammad Rizwan, also known as Jani. After being questioned about the alleged theft, the suspects allegedly became hostile and later retaliated by torching the family’s home.

No deaths or serious injuries were immediately reported, but the family suffered extensive property damage and was left homeless, according to those familiar with the case.

CHRISTIANS UNDER PRESSURE

Christian advocates have urged Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, arrest those responsible, and ensure protection for the affected family.

The incidents come amid continued concern over the safety of Pakistan’s Christian minority, which comprises roughly 2 percent of the country’s more than 250 million people.

Pakistan ranks among the world’s worst countries for Christian persecution, placing 8th on the latest Open Doors World Watch List of the 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, according to the organization.

Rights advocates say the acquittal of Dennis Albert offers hope that justice can prevail in individual cases, but they stress that lasting reforms are needed to prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws and better protect vulnerable Christians and other religious minorities from violence and intimidation in the Islamic nation.

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