Pakistan Threatens to Execute Blind Christian Man on Fabricated Blasphemy Charges

Pakistan Court Refuses Bail for Blind Christian Man Facing Death Penalty Under Blasphemy Law

A Pakistani court has denied bail to a 49 year old blind Christian man charged with blasphemy, a crime carrying a mandatory death sentence under the country's notorious Section 295 C.

Justice Muhammad Jawad Zafar of the Lahore High Court rejected the bail petition of Nadeem Masih on February 4, ruling that the accused might flee or tamper with witnesses if released. Masih has been in custody since his arrest on August 21 from Model Town Park in Lahore, where he earned a modest living operating a weighing scale for park visitors.

His attorney, Javed Sahotra, pointed to glaring inconsistencies in the prosecution's case. The park closes at 9 p.m., yet police claim they were patrolling the area at 11 p.m. when the alleged incident occurred. Call data records for both the complainant and Masih indicate neither was present at the park at the time cited in the police report.

Two prosecution witnesses also delayed reporting the incident from August 9 until August 22, raising further questions about the credibility of the charges.

Masih's 80 year old mother alleges the blasphemy charges stem from a dispute with park contractors who assaulted her son and prevented him from operating his weighing scale business. She says he was beaten in custody and coerced into a confession.

Masih, who is completely blind, comes from a low income family and was the sole breadwinner following his father's death. Human Rights Watch has documented how Pakistan's blasphemy laws are frequently weaponized against religious minorities to settle personal disputes and seize property.

Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. At least 475 blasphemy cases were registered in 2024 alone, with investigations revealing organized efforts to entrap Christians and other minorities with false charges.

Blind Pakistani Christian Nadeem Masih Faces Death Penalty as Lahore Court Denies Bail in Disputed Blasphemy Case

The case of Nadeem Masih underscores the grave dangers facing Pakistan's Christian community, which makes up just 1.8 percent of the country's population. Christians in Pakistan face systemic discrimination, violence, forced conversions, bonded labor, and gender based persecution with minimal state protection.

The August 2023 Jaranwala attacks, in which mobs burned 26 churches and numerous Christian homes over unproven allegations of Quran desecration, remain a stark reminder of the violence that blasphemy accusations can unleash.

The Crusader's Opinion

A blind man. Let that sink in. Pakistan has thrown a blind man into a cell, beaten a confession out of him, and is now threatening to execute him for blasphemy. The evidence does not even hold up to basic scrutiny. The park was closed. Neither party was there. The witnesses waited two weeks to file a report. This is not justice. This is persecution dressed in legal robes. Meanwhile, the world stays silent because confronting Islamic blasphemy laws might offend someone. If a Muslim were arrested on fabricated charges in a Western nation, the United Nations would hold an emergency session. But a blind Christian in Pakistan? Crickets. Every single one of us will answer for our silence before God.

Take Action

• Pray daily for Nadeem Masih's release and safety. Share his story using his name so it reaches international attention.
• Contact Pakistan's Embassy in your country and demand accountability for the misuse of blasphemy laws against religious minorities.
• Support Open Doors in their ongoing work to protect and support persecuted Christians in Pakistan.
• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to help fund legal defense and humanitarian aid for persecuted believers worldwide.
• Contact the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and urge them to press Pakistan on repealing blasphemy laws that target minorities.
• Support Voice of the Martyrs who provide direct aid to families of Christians imprisoned on false charges in Pakistan.