When I was young and naive, probably around the time when I was 13 years of age, my father, a police officer, often advised us to remain careful with our words and content on the internet. He often backed his advice up with examples, frequently citing a case involving a young professor who was arrested by the police on blasphemy charges in the town of Rajanpur. It was a hot topic of discussion in those days, and often a part of our dinner table conversation at home during which my father stressed immensely upon our careful usage of the internet. My siblings and I paid heed to his advice and to this day, refrain from indulging in matters related to religion.
As time flew by, I finished school and college. It has now been more than a year since I graduated from university but I distinctly remember how in my final year, the last presentation I gave was on human rights violations. I began that presentation with the case of Junaid Hafeez.
Hafeez was a professor at the department of English Literature of the Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) in Multan. He was arrested on blasphemy charges on March 13, 2013, over alleged Facebook uploads. During my presentation, I shed light upon how maliciously the case was handled: his computer had been seized, and the police forced him to disclose his login details without any court order and subsequently interpreted some printouts allegedly attributed to him
Unlike many, Hafeez had opted to return to Pakistan after completing his Master’s in Literature, Photography and Theatre from the USA and impart his learning and experience to Pakistani youth far less privileged than him. In the little space provided to him at the literature department in BZU, he sought to build a secular space with academic freedom. Despite the prevailing conservative environment on campus, he would often invite women rights activists to deliver guest lectures to students. One of those invited was Qasira Shahraz, who wrote the award-winning drama serial “Dil hi toh hai” for PTV. At her guest lecture, some students accused Hafeez of supporting certain controversial themes in Shahraz’s novels, and allegedly passing blasphemous remarks. Luckily, Shahraz managed to dodge the bullet and fled the university. Later, as matters escalated, she left Pakistan. Hafeez was not so lucky.
The state is apathetic towards his case, cowardly acting as a bystander as the hatred and religious extremism further strengthen their grip around our society - the recent murder of a local tourist in Swat by a ruthless mob on a mere suspicion of desecrating the Holy Quran is the consequence of this dangerous apathy.
Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive and controversial issue in Pakistan, where even unverified allegations can lead to mob lynchings and death sentences. Junaid Hafeez’s sham trial began in 2014. He was charged under section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). When his lawyers questioned one of the witnesses to pinpoint the blasphemous content in Shahraz’s books, he was unable to do so as the witness could neither read nor understand English. This evidence did strengthen Hafeez’s defence. Unfortunately, his lawyer, Rashid Rehman, was later gunned down in his office after receiving threats in open court for defending Hafeez. Ultimately, Hafeez got another lawyer, but as time passed and the trial prolonged, it started to take some ugly turns. It ultimately led the Additional Sessions Judge Kashif Qayyum to sentence Hafeez to death in 2019. He was also sentenced to life imprisonment under Section 295-B, and 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs100,000 under Section 295-A of the PPC. This verdict had less to do with the legal merits of the case, and more with the socio-political circumstances of our country under which the lower judiciary operates. Since then, he has been kept in solitary confinement at the Multan Central Jail "to protect him from other inmates as his life is under threat".
Hafeez’s lengthy trial has gravely affected his mental and physical health, endangered his family and exemplifies the misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws.
When I got home after delivering my presentation, my subconscious was hyperactive as I tried to connect the dots between Hafeez’s tragic case and the case my father used to refer to while cautioning us about our words on the internet. Today, I am perhaps the same age as Hafeez was when he was wrongfully accused of blasphemy. His case is saddening and personal for me as I share the same city and neighbourhood as Hafeez.
Even though many years have passed, turning into decades, this country has failed to develop a sense of tolerance, let alone make other developments that could put it on a track to progress. Yet the blatant misuse of blasphemy laws, particularly 295-C, and the violation of fair trial rights, remains a systematic issue in Pakistan. Junaid Hafeez is not only suffering for the intolerance in the country that put false blasphemy charges on him but also for the ineffectiveness and selfishness of our justice system. The state is apathetic towards his case, cowardly acting as a bystander as the hatred and radicalisation further strengthen their grip around our society - the recent murder of a local tourist in Swat by a ruthless mob on the mere suspicion of desecrating the Holy Quran is the consequence of this dangerous apathy. All those wrongfully accused of insulting Islam either end up within the confines of the jail or under the ground after being mercilessly lynched by the mobs.
Over time, this country has made it evident that it is not for people like Junaid Hafeez, who stand for knowledge and tolerance, but for blood-seeking, ruthless mobs to dominate and do whatever they will. If there is an ounce of shame and humanity left in our lawmakers, they should abolish the cruel blasphemy laws. The country that I dream of is the one where people can respect difference of opinion and where minorities can exist and practise their faith without fear of being wrongfully accused or lynched. Sadly, when I am reminded of the decade-long solitary confinement of Junaid Hafeez over unproven allegations, whose name sits on the honour board at the Jackson State University in the USA, I am engulfed with an overwhelming hopelessness at the state of affairs in our beloved country, Pakistan.