Islamabad, March 27 : A leading minority rights group on Friday alleged that Pakistanâ??s blasphemy laws are being exploited as a tool of systematic coercion, enabling organised religious groups and their allies to intimidate judges, prosecutors, police, and politicians, effectively holding the countryâ??s justice system and broader state machinery hostage.

According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), this â??blasphemy complexâ?? relies on fear of mob violence, targeted killings, and economic blackmail to â??paralyseâ?? institutions tasked with protecting rights and upholding the rule of law.

â??Pakistanâ??s blasphemy provisions carry a mandatory death penalty or life imprisonment, but their wording is vague and broad, making mere accusations enough to trigger arrest and detention. Human rights organisations have documented that these laws are routinely used to settle personal scores, grab land, and persecute religious minorities, rather than to address genuine incitement or hate speech," the rights body stated.

Citing recent investigations, the VOPM stated that blasphemy accusations are not only spontaneous expressions of outrage but, in many cases, orchestrated by organised networks.

The rights body noted that human rights lawyers in Pakistan have described a coordinated â??blasphemy business groupâ?? or â??Islamist gangâ?? that manufactures cases, often by circulating allegedly blasphemous content online, filing complaints and then extorting the accused or their families.

It added that judges in Pakistan hearing such blasphemy cases operate under an atmosphere of direct and at times lethal intimidation.

Human rights groups, the VOPM said, document instances where judges â??have been openly threatened in courtrooms, pressured by crowds outside court premises, and denounced in sermons or social media campaigns when they show leniency or demand solid evidence".

â??Lawyers defending those accused of blasphemy face similar or greater danger: several have been assassinated, including prominent rights lawyer Rashid Rehman, who was shot dead in his office after defending an academic accused of blasphemy, following explicit threats over his role in the case. Because of these patterns of violence, many lawyers refuse to take such cases, leaving the accused without meaningful legal representation and further skewing proceedings toward conviction or endless detention," the rights body mentioned.

â??The climate of fear means that judges often deny bail, avoid deciding cases promptly, or pass responsibility upward in the judicial hierarchy to avoid individual blame,â?? it added.

The rights body cited observers noting that Pakistani courts frequently disregard existing procedural safeguards â?? such as requirements for prompt investigations and protections against false accusations-- turning trials into prolonged ordeals where managing extremist pressure takes precedence over delivering justice.

Highlighting the grim situation, the VOPM said, â??Until Pakistan acknowledges its own central role in empowering the blasphemy gang, its judiciary and state machinery will remain captives not only of extremists on the street but also of the cowardice and complicity that sit at the heart of the state itself.â??

/IANS