25 women imprisoned in Punjab on blasphemy charges

LAHORE: Newly obtained data under the Right to Information Act has revealed that 25 women are currently imprisoned in various jails across Punjab province on accusations of blasphemy.

The data provided by IG Prisons Punjab was shared following a request by Sarmad Ali, an advocate at the Lahore High Court.

According to the data, among the 25 women, 20 are under trial, two have been convicted, and three are listed as “unconfirmed condemned prisoners.” These figures highlight the significant number of women facing legal proceedings under blasphemy laws, which are often a topic of intense debate both nationally and internationally.

According to data available with The News, The highest number of accused women are imprisoned in Central Jail Lahore, where 11 women are incarcerated on blasphemy charges. Out of these, nine are under trial while two have been convicted. The charges fall under different sections of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Of them, four women are accused under Section 295B, which deals with the desecration of the Holy Quran. Two women are charged under Section 295C, which pertains to derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Four women are facing allegations under Section 295A, which addresses deliberate acts, intended to outrage religious feelings. Whereas another four women are facing allegations under sections 295 A, B and C.

The situation is similar in other prisons across Punjab. In District Jail Sialkot one woman is under trial for charges under Section 295A. In District Jail Faisalabad, two women are imprisoned. One faces accusations under Sections 295A, 295B, and 295C, while another is charged under Section 295B. In Central Jail Rawalpindi, two women are accused one faces charges under Sections 295A and 295C, while the other is accused solely under Section 295C. In District Jail Attock Two women are imprisoned under Section 295B. In District Jail Rahim Yar Khan, one woman faces charges under Section 295B. In Multan’s Women’s Jail, six women are imprisoned for blasphemy charges. Of these, five are under trial, and one is an ‘unconfirmed condemned prisoner’.