A Pakistani court acquitted a Christian man of blasphemy charges in September, but the decision was kept private for weeks out of fear for his safety, according to his legal counsel.
Sargodha Magistrate Syed Faizan-e-Rasool cleared 47-year-old Haroon Shahzad on Sept. 27 after the original complainant, Muhammad Imran Ladhar, withdrew the accusation he filed on June 30, 2023, attorney Aneeqa Maria confirmed.
The case stemmed from Shahzad sharing Bible verses on Facebook. Ladhar had accused Shahzad of blasphemy following the post, but Shahzad—who was released on bail on Nov. 6, 2023—remained in hiding and chose not to publicize the acquittal immediately due to ongoing security threats, Maria said.
“Though the complainant, who was also the prime prosecution witness, exonerated Shahzad of the allegation, the public prosecutor insisted that remaining prosecution evidence was sufficient to convict the accused,” Maria told Christian Daily International–Morning Star News.
“However, the magistrate noted that cross-examination of the prime witness by the public prosecutor had also failed to favor the prosecution and the case had been dented beyond repair.”
According to the verdict, the court acknowledged that the Bible is respected within Islam and noted that the Quran urges Muslims not to judge those who believe in the gospel. On that basis, the magistrate dismissed all charges brought under Sections 295-A and 298 of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, Maria explained.
Section 295-A addresses “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs,” carrying a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine. Section 298 allows for up to one year in prison and a fine for hurting religious sentiments.
“The verdict lays bare the profound fragility of justice itself,” Maria said. “It reveals a system in which an individual’s liberty, dignity and entire future can be held hostage by a flawed process, where an accusation alone can unleash turmoil, turn lives upside down and leave families shattered.”
Shahzad, who works as a paint contractor, posted 1 Corinthians 10:18–21 on Facebook on June 29, 2023, as Muslims were preparing for Eid al-Adha, a major Islamic festival that involves animal sacrifice and communal meals.
A local Muslim resident captured screenshots of the post, circulated them in village social media groups, and accused Shahzad of equating Muslims with pagans and insulting the Abrahamic tradition of sacrifice.
Although Shahzad did not add any commentary to the biblical passage, tensions escalated after Friday prayers when mosque loudspeakers called residents to gather for protests. As fears of mob violence spread, many Christian families fled their homes, abandoning their possessions.
Shahzad previously told Morning Star News that the complaint was motivated by personal animosity. He said Ladhar—allegedly linked to the now-banned Islamist extremist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and reportedly connected to the proscribed militant organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi—filed the case out of a longstanding grudge rather than genuine religious offense.
