Published on, Sept. 14 -- September 14, 2025 12:25 AM

Living in a country where a single word, a picture, or even a misunderstood phrase can unleash a squall of righteous indignation, set people howling in the streets, or take away a life, is to live under the shadow of fear. In Pakistan, a charge of blasphemy carries that terror. Sections 295 to 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), originally framed to protect religious sensibilities and foster interfaith harmony, have instead become a tool of vengeance, hysteria, and mob justice. With the arrival of the digital age, the scope of these laws has stretched dangerously, invading online spaces and placing every expression at the mercy of smartphone-wielding zealots. Speech today is policed...