Pakistan: Women Sentenced to Death Over Blasphemy Murder
The Facts
- A court in Pakistan has sentenced two women in their 20s to death and a minor girl to life imprisonment for murdering their local religious teacher over "blasphemy allegations" in 2022.
- The three Jamia Islamia Falahul Binaat seminary students — Umra Aman, Razia Hanfi, and Ayesha Naumani — had killed Safoora Bibi in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
- The trio first thrashed Bibi with sticks at the seminary's gate before slitting her throat after their 13-year-old relative claimed to have seen the teacher committing blasphemy against Prophet Muhammed in her dreams.
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The Spin
Left narrative
When a nation's institutions themselves treat blasphemy as a crime punishable by death, it's not surprising that a mob sometimes takes over the job of meting out such punishment. After all, the reigning law itself legitimizes this outrage. Moreover, religion is often one of society's most influential pillars, particularly in a country like Pakistan, which was founded on the idea of a religious identity.
Right narrative
Pakistan's blasphemy law has been instrumental in keeping peace and stability in the country. A few stray incidents shouldn't be considered the benchmark for judging the law. Judicious and responsible use of this instrument will help combat human rights violations and also protect the nation's honor. The sanctity of religion can't be compromised.
Metaculus Prediction
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