Women murdered for alleged blasphemy – Teacher and two students arrested

30-03-2022

Anna Magdalena Comploi 

Pakistan and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On March 29th, 2022 a teacher and two students were arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of a colleague (Sirajuddin, 2022). The incident took place in Dera Ismail Kahn, a city in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (Al Jazeera, 2022). The District Police Officer Najamul Hasnain reported that they had accused their colleague of blasphemy. According to the District Police Officer, the murder took place early in the morning (Sirajuddin, 2022). The teacher and the two students allegedly ambushed Safoora Bibi at the gate of the all-girls school with a knife and a stick (Al Jazeera, 2022). According to the police, Bibi died after her throat was slit and was found in a pool of blood (Al Jazeera, 2022).  The victim was a follower of religious scholar Maulana Tair Jameel (Sirajuddin, 2022). The police further reported that one of the suspects reported that a relative had told them that they had seen “a dream last night, in which they found out about the alleged blasphemy” (Sirajuddin, 2022). The board of seminaries Wafaqul Madaris al Arabia Pakistan condemned the murder and requested a full and independent investigation (Al Jazeera, 2022).  Civil societies have frequently criticized the religious schools called Madrassas, as they often adopt hardline religious doctrines (Al Jazeera, 2022).  Since 1990, more than 82 people have been killed over blasphemy. According to Civil Society, blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal grudges (Al Jazeera, 2022).  

Sources and further reading: 

Al Jazeera. (2022, March 30). Pakistani teacher killed for alleged blasphemy: Police. Retrieved 

March 30, 2022, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/30/pakistan-school-teacher-killed-for-alleged-blasphemy-police

Sirajuddin. (2022, March 29). Woman slaughtered in DI Khan over alleged blasphemy, 3 seminary 

teachers arrested. Dawn. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from https://www.dawn.com/news/1682417/woman-slaughtered-in-di-khan-over-alleged-blasphemy-3-seminary-teachers-arrested