PAKISTANI MOTHER WINS BAIL AFTER 18 MONTHS ON FALSE BLASPHEMY CHARGES
A high court in Pakistan granted bail to a Christian woman imprisoned for more than a year over false accusations of blasphemy. Christian attorney Lazar Allah Rakha said that Lahore High Court Justice Asjad Javaid Ghural on November 6 ordered the release of 29-year-old Stella Khawar on bail in two cases of blasphemy filed against her, as there was no evidence against her.
Khawar, mother of a 5-year-old son, was arrested on May 12, 2024 from Kharota Syedan, in the Kotli Loharan area of Sialkot District, Punjab Province, and was charged under Section 295-A of Pakistan's widely condemned blasphemy laws related to hurting religious sentiments, as well as Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Despite the passage of nearly two years, the police failed to submit the forensic report of a CCTV footage that it claimed showed the woman allegedly throwing blasphemous material in a street.
During the bail proceedings, the high court noted that the grainy footage failed to accurately identify the woman and repeatedly asked the investigating officer to submit the forensic report, which was not made available.
Due to insufficient evidence and the inordinate delay in the conclusion of the trial, the high court ordered Khawar's release against surety bonds amounting to 200,000 Pakistani rupees ($706 USD) in each of the two cases. Her family was arranging the sureties, and they hoped to reunite with her this week.
Rakha, who has successfully defended several persons falsely charged with blasphemy, said he was thankful for legal advocacy organization Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International financing legal support and advocating for Khawar.
"Stella's family is poor and were unable to engage good legal representation for their daughter, whose trial is being conducted in the Sialkot District Jail due to security concerns."
Rakha told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News: "I'm very hopeful that we will be able to win her acquittal in both cases in the upcoming hearings, because it's clearly a case of no evidence as noted by the high court."
Blasphemy and accusations of the crime have led to the extrajudicial killings of dozens of people in Pakistan since 1990.
Rights groups have repeatedly criticized and called for the reform or repeal of the harsh laws, which date back to the British empire.
Human Rights Watch stated that in several cases, blasphemy accusations were used to target business rivals or coerce property transfers. HRW added that the law's broad and vague provisions allow it to be exploited with minimal or no evidence, creating a climate of fear among vulnerable groups.
Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors' 2025 World Watch List of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Stella Khawar spent 18 months in prison because police had grainy CCTV footage they claimed showed her throwing blasphemous material. The court couldn't even identify her in the video. Police never submitted forensic analysis. No evidence. No witnesses. No case.
Just a Christian woman, a poor family, and Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
She's one of the lucky ones. She had Alliance Defending Freedom pay for a real lawyer. Without that, she'd still be in Sialkot District Jail waiting to die.
Pakistan's blasphemy laws are a hunting license. Want to steal your neighbor's property? Accuse them of blasphemy. Want to eliminate a business competitor? Blasphemy. Want to settle a personal grudge? Blasphemy.
The accusation alone destroys lives. Even if courts eventually acquit, mobs often kill first.
Stella has bail, not freedom. She still faces trial. She still can't leave Pakistan safely. Extremists still want her dead for crimes she didn't commit.
And she's far from alone. Dozens of Christians sit in Pakistani prisons on blasphemy charges with zero evidence. Many will never see a courtroom. Some will be killed in custody. Others will be lynched by mobs if they're ever released.
This is what dhimmitude looks like in the 21st century. Christians as second-class citizens in an Islamic state. No rights. No protection. No justice.
Pakistan's government claims these laws prevent religious discord. The reality? They weaponize religion to terrorize minorities.
Stella's 5-year-old son spent over a year without his mother. Because someone made an accusation. Because she's Christian. Because Pakistan's legal system is broken.
The high court did the bare minimum by granting bail. But "no evidence" should mean immediate release and charges dropped. It should mean prosecution of false accusers. It should mean compensation for 18 months of wrongful imprisonment.
Instead, Stella gets to pay $1,400 in surety bonds for the privilege of awaiting trial for crimes that never happened.
This is Pakistan. Ranked 8th worst country in the world to be a Christian. Where justice is for sale and blasphemy laws guarantee there are no consequences for destroying Christian lives.
TAKE ACTION
Support Alliance Defending Freedom International: Visit www.adfinternational.org to support their legal work defending Christians falsely accused under Pakistan's blasphemy laws. ADF provided the legal representation that saved Stella's life.
Demand Blasphemy Law Reform: Contact your representatives and demand they pressure Pakistan to reform or repeal blasphemy laws that are systematically weaponized against religious minorities. Make Pakistan's foreign aid contingent on protecting Christians.
Pray for Stella Khawar: Pray for Stella's safety as she awaits trial, for her reunion with her 5-year-old son, and for her complete acquittal. Pray for her family's protection from extremists who target blasphemy accuseds even after release.
Support Pakistani Christians: Contact Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com to support Pakistani Christians facing persecution, false accusations, and mob violence. Many families need legal defense funds and safe relocation assistance.
Amplify Their Stories: Share Stella's story on social media. Tag international human rights organizations and major news outlets. Ask why they ignore systematic persecution of Christians in Pakistan while claiming to care about human rights.
DEUS VULT
