In a striking turn of events, popular Deobandi scholar Mufti Tariq Masood—known for his hardline stance advocating “death for blasphemy”—now finds himself on the receiving end of the same extremist rhetoric. Shia Islamists in Pak-occupied-Gilgit-Baltistan are demanding a blasphemy case against Masood, accusing him of making statements about the Quran that they deem offensive.

The firestorm erupted after Masood stated that the Quran contains grammatical errors and that Prophet Muhammad was illiterate. His remarks have ignited widespread outrage, with mobs now calling for his prosecution under Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws—the very laws that Masood himself had fiercely defended in the past.

This sudden reversal has exposed the hypocrisy embedded within Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, long used as a weapon to silence critics or settle personal scores. Masood, who once preached death for anyone accused of insulting Islam, is now pleading for his words to be “understood in context” as fear for his own life grows.

Tariq Masood Faces Blasphemy

Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are notoriously brutal—mere allegations are often enough to seal a person’s fate, especially if the accused belongs to a minority community. The tragic case of Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar, a physician in Mirpurkhas, serves as a chilling reminder of this reality. Dr. Kumbhar, accused of blasphemy, was killed while in police custody, with a mob setting his body ablaze. The Sindh Police, complicit in the violence, allowed the mob to carry out the brutal act, demonstrating the chilling depths of Pakistan’s broken justice system.

However, Masood admitted that blasphemy laws have been weaponized, even acknowledging that judges and lawyers often feel pressured to deliver wrongful verdicts. “I am being targeted unfairly. This is not what I meant,” Masood has been quoted as saying, attempting to defuse the backlash.

If Masood’s own fatwas were applied to his current predicament, he would face the same brutal punishment he once endorsed—death by beheading.

In a heart-wrenching act of courage, Prem Kolhi, a Hindu man, risked his life to save the body of Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar, a physician who was killed while in police custody in Mirpurkhas, Pakistan. Dr. Kumbhar, accused of blasphemy, was subjected to a gruesome fate as a mob set his body ablaze. Kolhi’s brave attempt to rescue the burning corpse starkly contrasts the indifference of the Paki establishment towards minorities.

The Sindh Police orchestrated this tragic incident. By allowing the mob to carry out such an act, the police have demonstrated a chilling complicity in the violence against those accused of blasphemy.

Disturbingly, the Sindh Police were celebrated by some community members after the incident, with flowers thrown at officers. This grotesque celebration of violence not only reveals a disturbing attitude towards the rule of law but also underscores the systemic failures of a police force that is supposed to protect all citizens, particularly the vulnerable minorities who are often the targets of religious extremism.

Dr. Kumbhar’s case is emblematic of a dangerous trend in Pakistan, where accusations of blasphemy lead to mob violence and extrajudicial killings. The misuse of blasphemy laws serves as a tool for persecution, creating a perfect hunting ground for religious minorities. In this context, the actions of Prem Kolhi shine as a beacon of humanity against a backdrop of systemic injustice.

The arrest of Jamshed Khan, a member of the Bannu Aman Jirga, has ignited widespread protests among local police and citizens, highlighting the deep-seated discontent with the Paki establishment and its heavy-handed tactics. The Lucky Marwat Police joined the protests, expressing solidarity in front of Bannu Police with a raucous demonstration that included dancing amid rising dust, a symbolic gesture of defiance against the occupied-authorities.

Jamshed Khan, who was detained in the Bannu police line, was a vocal participant in recent police protests and had previously faced suspension for his activism. His abduction on September 20, by the Cantt Police Station’s Station House Officer (SHO) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) has sparked outrage, leading to a blockade of the Bannu-Miranshah road by protesters demanding his immediate release.

The local police have begun coordinating with forces from other districts to expand the protests across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a broader uprising against the establishment’s oppressive tactics. Furthermore, 11 police officials were fired for disobeying orders exacerbating tensions. Recently, the Pak Army filed an FIR against PTM Chief Manzoor Pashteen ahead of the upcoming Pashtun gatherings.

The recent turmoil underscores the escalating frustration of the Pashtun people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who are marginalized and exploited by the Punjabi elite and the military establishment. Tired of decades of systemic neglect and violence, Pashtuns are rising to demand accountability and justice. The upcoming national gathering of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) on October 11 is poised to be a pivotal event, aiming to shed light on the human rights abuses faced by the community and to call for international attention to their plight.

Since the military’s occupation of the Khyber region in 1947, the Punjabi-Pakistan Army has executed a brutal campaign against the Pashtun population. Masked as counter-terrorism operations, these actions have included indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, extrajudicial killings, and abductions, leaving communities shattered and traumatized. The military has treated the Pashtun people as mere collateral damage in its quest for control, perpetuating a cycle of violence that has gone unchecked for far too long.