The persecution of Christians in Pakistan is frequently justified by that nation’s draconian blasphemy laws, which are all too often manipulated and misused in order to victimize Christians and other religious minorities, and leave them with no recourse. Christians in Pakistan are targeted with accusations of blasphemy that are often just a cover for attempts to settle personal grudges, appropriate their property, or achieve some other end. In this case, the accusation appears to be an attempt to cover up the accuser’s unethical activity.
The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, calls upon the international human rights community to bring pressure upon the government of Pakistan to repeal these unjust laws, and allow the Christians of the nation to practice their faith in peace and live in peace.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in Pakistan, see here.
“Christian Nurse in Pakistan Falsely Accused of Blasphemy by Muslim Coworker,” International Christian Concern, January 29, 2021:
01/29/2021 Pakistan (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that a 30-year-old Christian nurse in Pakistan was falsely accused of committing blasphemy against Islam. According to local sources, the Christian was accused by a Muslim coworker after a personal dispute over receiving cash tips from hospital patients.
On January 28, Tabitha Nazir Gill was falsely accused of committing blasphemy while working at Sobhraj Maternity Hospital in Karachi, a hospital where she has been a nurse for the past nine years. She was later taken into police custody.
According to a local ICC source, the head nurse at Sobhraj Maternity Hospital issued orders that medical staff may not receive tips or deal with money from patients. Gill reportedly reminded a Muslim coworker of these orders when she saw the coworker collect money from a patient.
In response, the Muslim coworker falsely accused Gill of committing blasphemy and incited violence against her colleague. Videos of hospital staff beating Gill surfaced on social media and Gill was reportedly tied up with ropes, tortured, and locked in a room before being taken into police custody.
However, police released Gill, handing her over to her family, after a short investigation did not find any evidence that Gill had committed blasphemy. Gill and her family have since moved to an unknown location fearing vigilante violence.
“Police have provided protection to the victim and tried to resolve the issue,” ICC’s source reports. “However, a mob of hundreds of Muslims gathered at the local police station to force the police to register a FIR against Gill. This FIR was lodged today.”
First Information Report 74/21 was filed by police regarding the blasphemy accusation against Gill. The accusation remains under police investigation.
In Pakistan, false accusations of blasphemy are widespread and often motivated by personal vendettas or religious hatred. Accusations are highly inflammatory and have the potential to spark mob lynchings, vigilante murders, and mass protests….
