New York, June 9 -- Pakistan's blasphemy laws are being used to facilitate land grabs, blackmail, and forced evictions, particularly targeting religious minorities, according to a report released by Human Rights Watch on June 8.

The 29-page report, titled "A Conspiracy to Grab the Land: Exploiting Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws for Blackmail and Profit," documents how blasphemy accusations are being used to incite mob violence, displace minority communities, and seize property without due process.

Human Rights Watch stated that it interviewed 14 individuals accused of blasphemy, along with lawyers, prosecutors, judges, police officials, human rights activists, and journalists in five districts--Lahore, Gujranwala, Kasur, Sheikhupura, and Isl...