News Desk
ISLAMABAD:
A young Christian man, Ishtiaq Saleem, was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cybercrime Wing in Islamabad after allegedly being lured through a phone call in what his family and rights groups are calling a “honey trap” leading to a blasphemy case.
According to family sources, at around 4:00 p.m. on the day of the arrest, a woman contacted Ishtiaq by phone and invited him to meet her near the PSO petrol station at G-8 Markaz. Upon his arrival and after a brief wait, a vehicle belonging to FIA Cybercrime arrived, and he was taken into custody and transferred to the Cybercrime Police Station in G-13.
His wife, Ghazal, was informed of his arrest at approximately 5:00 p.m., and the family was later shown the First Information Report (FIR). The report included charges under several sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), including the blasphemy-related sections 295-A, 295-B, 295-C, 298-A, and Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, read with Section 109 PPC.
FIR Details
FIR No: 187/2022
Police Station: FIA Cybercrime Circle, Islamabad
Complainant: Muhammad Imran, son of Muhammad Nawaz
Accused: Ishtiaq Saleem, son of Saleem Masih
Ishtiaq was accused of sharing blasphemous content — including material defiling the Holy Quran and other revered Islamic figures — through social media platforms, specifically Facebook and WhatsApp. According to his statement, he was only a participant in a WhatsApp group where such content was shared by another member. He forwarded the material to another group member, Imran, who later filed the complaint against him.
The FIA confiscated his two mobile phones and national ID card upon arrest. Despite multiple court appearances, a completed charge sheet (challan) was not submitted for months. The court has repeatedly extended his judicial remand.
One additional group member, Umair, was also arrested, while others remain at large. Forensic analysis of Ishtiaq’s mobile phones has been conducted, but the results have not been disclosed, and the case has yet to proceed to full trial.
Ishtiaq and his father were both employed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Following his arrest, Ishtiaq was suspended from his job. One of his brothers has since been hired in the same capacity. The family now lives in a two-room government quarter and is facing serious financial and emotional challenges. Ghazal, his wife, along with their four-and-a-half-year-old son Roshan — who is undergoing physiotherapy treatment — are in distress and appealing for support.
Two lawyers, Basharat Masih and Syed Hamil Hassan, are representing the case. However, Hassan has reportedly demanded a legal fee of PKR 2 million (approximately CAD 9,773), a sum the family cannot afford.
According to Nadeem Bhatti, President of Canadian Aid to Persecuted Christians (CAPC), the case, while serious, may offer grounds for acquittal at a later trial stage. However, the possibility of conviction at the prosecution stage cannot be ruled out due to the technical evidence involved.
He confirmed that Advocate Lazar Allah Rakha had initially represented Ishtiaq and had applied for bail, which was rejected. Legal teams are now preparing a new appeal for bail before the Supreme Court of Pakistan, where Senior Advocate Syed Zafar Ali Shah will argue the case.
Allegations of a “Blasphemy Business Group”:
Human rights defenders have raised concerns over a rise in alleged honey-trapping and misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. Mr. Bhatti alleged the existence of a network dubbed the “Blasphemy Business Group” (BBG), which he claims has orchestrated multiple arrests of minority youth through fabricated charges. He named individuals including Justice (Retd.) Abdul Aziz, Advocate Rao Abdul Rahim, Imam Mian Mithu, and the brother of former Interfaith Harmony Minister Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, as key figures in the group.
Justice Aziz had previously served as a prosecutor in the high-profile Rimsha Masih case — a young Christian girl accused of blasphemy, who was later acquitted after the charges were proven false.
According to Bhatti, members of the alleged BBG have each filed 15–20 blasphemy cases nationwide, mostly targeting vulnerable youth. While the government has officially reported 450 such cases, independent sources suggest the number could be closer to 700.
In a recent development, Justice Ejaz Sardar Eshaq ordered that virtual court hearings for such sensitive cases be telecast and instructed the establishment of a commission within 30 days to investigate the rising trend of allegedly fabricated blasphemy charges.
The family and legal team of Ishtiaq remain hopeful that the Supreme Court will grant him bail as the case proceeds. Meanwhile, Ghazal and her son continue to seek justice and public support amid worsening financial and emotional hardship.
“This is not just a legal fight; it’s a fight for survival,” Bhatti said. “Wrongly accusing someone of blasphemy is itself a grave injustice — and in Pakistan, it often means a death sentence, whether by court or by mob.
Shireen Aslam, who is a Human Rights Activist commenting on the incident, articulated that such cases of honey trapping in the context of the Blasphemy Business Group are rapidly increasing.
“I’ve met with the Ashtiaq family and joined them for their court hearings. Seeing the condition of their son and wife, I’m deeply disturbed. I pay regular visits every week, we pray together in the state of fasting, we especially pray for his recovery and release on bail” , he added
She further stating the ordeal of the victims family said, “The family is struggling with financial crises; he was the only bread winner of his family, after the se allegations his wife is not getting a job, and living costs have fairly gone up over here now”.
While urging the state, she said, “If our state doesn’t take substantial steps, then these cases will only go up significantly. The government and judiciary must take action to prevent such groups and punish those involved. Many Innocent people have been suffering in jail for a long time, hoping for a saviour. I appeal to the government to take strict action against the group that is tarnishing Pakistan’s image.”
“Ishtiaq’s release on bail application was declined twice. We are trying to gain an appeal for his release on bail. As he is also suffering health issues, and needs medical treatment and care. We pray that Justice be served to the victim’s family”, Shireen concluded.