Muslim vigilante groups in Lahore, Pakistan are reportedly collaborating with federal authorities to entrap young people, particularly Christians and other religious minorities, in blasphemy charges via social media, according to a recent investigation by Pakistan’s National Commission for Human Rights.

This year has seen a dramatic rise in blasphemy cases, with a threefold increase in accusations compared to the previous year.

By 25th July, 767 people were accused of blasphemy and detained across Pakistan, up from 213 in 2023.

The NCHR report reveals that many of these cases involve collusion between vigilante groups and the Federal Investigation Agency, especially within the Cybercrime Unit.

The investigation highlighted tactics involving entrapment through false social media profiles, where vigilantes use female pseudonyms to lure individuals into sharing or engaging with content that could be deemed blasphemous.

The NCHR reported that most of these cases come from Punjab Province, with hundreds of alleged offenders imprisoned under poor conditions.

In one of the most significant cases, Shiraz Ahmad Farooqi and the Legal Commission on Blasphemy Pakistan have pursued over 300 cases, including the recent sentencing of 40-year-old Christian woman Shagufta Kiran to death in September.

A report from Punjab’s Special Branch earlier this year uncovered a “blasphemy business,” an exploitative scheme where private vigilante groups, often led by lawyers, track potential offenders online to pressure them financially or legally.

One such group was reportedly responsible for securing convictions for 27 people, resulting in life sentences or death penalties over the past three years.

Pakistan is currently ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by Christians and other minorities in the region.