Judges in blasphemy cases in Pakistan can face threats and intimidation that raise serious concerns about judicial independence and fair trials.
Judges are expected to decide cases according to evidence and law.
But what happens when acquitting a defendant may place the judge in danger?
This is one of the least discussed dimensions of Pakistan’s blasphemy cases.
Intimidation Inside the Justice System
The International Commission of Jurists has documented harassment and threats against judges handling blasphemy proceedings.
Some judges reported receiving telephone calls or letters warning of consequences if defendants were acquitted.
Courtrooms themselves can become intimidating environments when hostile crowds attend proceedings.
Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti
Justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti was involved in the Lahore High Court judgment acquitting Christian defendants Salamat Masih and Rehmat Masih.
He was murdered in 1997.
His killing became permanently associated with the dangers surrounding controversial blasphemy judgments.
Why Judicial Fear Matters
Nobody needs to hand a judge a written instruction saying:
Convict this defendant.
Fear itself can distort justice.
A judge knows the atmosphere outside the courtroom.
A judge has a family.
A judge reads news of previous killings.
That psychological pressure threatens judicial independence even if it never appears in the official case record.
Appellate Courts and Acquittals
The ICJ’s examination of Pakistani judgments revealed another remarkable pattern.
Of 25 Section 295-C convictions it examined, High Courts acquitted defendants in 19 cases.
Procedural irregularities and bad-faith complaints featured prominently among the reasons.
This suggests that rigorous appellate review has sometimes corrected serious problems originating earlier in proceedings.
Conclusion
A defendant cannot receive a fair trial unless a judge is genuinely free to say:
Not guilty.
Protecting judicial independence therefore requires more than constitutional language.
Judges, prosecutors and their families need effective security.
A verdict delivered under fear cannot represent the ideal of justice.
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