by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – As Christians in Punjab Province, Pakistan, continue to face intense violent persecution from Islamic extremists, a Christian father of three was arrested on November 3 and jailed pending trial for blasphemy, Morning Star News reports.
Zafar Iqbal Ward of No. 12 of Kahna in Lahore, Punjab Province, was arrested after three local Muslims accused him of setting fire to pages of the Quran near his house. Iqbal is the most recent in an extending line of Christians who have been arrested for allegedly defacing Quranic pages.
Iqbal has been charged under Section 295-B of Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy law, which carries a life sentence for defacing the Quran.
Pakistani rights activist Napolean Qayyum told MSN: “Iqbal is now in prison on judicial remand, while his family has gone into hiding and are inaccessible.”
In a website statement about the situation facing Pakistani Christians, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization reports: “Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected. Indeed, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians, who only make up 1.8% of the population.”
Ruled by an Islamic government that promotes harsh blasphemy laws, Pakistan ranks seventh on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
A Christian family’s home was reportedly set on fire following a local dispute in eastern Pakistan, highlighting ongoing concerns about the safety of minority communities in the Muslim-majority nation.
Two church leaders are recovering after they were reportedly nearly killed by Hindus while evangelizing in southwest India’s Karnataka state, underscoring growing hostility toward Christians in the world’s largest Hindu nation.
In a significant diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and Lebanon held their first direct negotiations in more than three decades on Tuesday, raising cautious optimism that a pathway toward peace—and potentially normalization—may be emerging in the Middle East.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its global growth outlook, warning that the ongoing Iran conflict could push the world economy toward recession if energy disruptions intensify and inflation pressures worsen.
The U.S. may return to the negotiating table with Iran soon, as thousands of American service members assist in the blockade of Iranian ports.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed Tuesday that federal prosecutors allegedly withheld key evidence while pursuing cases against pro-life activists who protested at abortion clinics.
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian shipping showed early signs of effectiveness in its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command, as no vessels departing Iranian ports successfully passed through the restricted zone.