Blasphemy Law in Pakistan: Woman Accused Over Shirt Slogan

On Sunday, February 25th, police in Lahore received a distress call reporting a gathering at a restaurant where a woman had attracted a crowd due to the writing on her traditional long shirt, known as a “kurta.” By the time law enforcement arrived, approximately 300 people had amassed around the establishment.

The crowd shouted demands for the woman to remove her shirt, with some even chanting for the heads of blasphemers. Police had to form a barrier to protect the woman from the enraged mob.

“No one actually knew what was written on the garment. The real feat was attempting to remove this woman from the scene to ensure her safety,” noted police officer Saida Shehrbano.

To shield her, the woman was draped in a black robe with a headscarf placed over her head.

Amidst the jostling crowd, law enforcement officers created a human chain to clear a path. The woman was then taken to the police station, where several religious scholars confirmed that the text on her shirt was Arabic calligraphy, not Quranic verses. The word in question was “Halwa,” translating to “sweet.”

Authorities requested the scholars to record a video reaffirming their conclusions.

“I had no such intention; it happened accidentally. However, I apologize for everything that occurred, and I will do everything possible to ensure it never happens again,” stated the woman.

Laws against blasphemy were first codified by British rulers in India, later expanded by military governments in the 1980s. In Pakistan, some “blasphemers” face mob violence before their cases even reach the courts. In August 2023, dozens of churches and homes were torched in Jaranwala city after two local men were accused of damaging the Quran.

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Read more: Brussels conference hears arguments for suspension of Pakistan’s GSP+ status over abuses of blasphemy laws

Former European Commissioner Ján Figeľ, Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union, recently addressed a high-level conference in Brussels on the controversial issue of suspension, as called for in a European Parliament resolution, of Pakistan’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) trading agreement with the bloc.

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