Twin Christian Brothers Acquitted of Blasphemy Charges in Kasur


On January 25, 2025, a sessions court in Kasur, Punjab, acquitted twin Christian brothers in a false blasphemy case, citing a lack of evidence and serious investigative flaws. Additional Sessions Judge Farzana Shahzad ruled in favour of Sahil Shahid (Kalu) and Raheel Shahid (Tabish) after their defence successfully demonstrated that the charges were fabricated and that the police investigation was deeply flawed.

 

According to Advocate Javed Sahotra, the prosecution failed to provide substantial evidence, and the case was marred by investigative misconduct. He highlighted key issues, including the role of Investigating Officer (IO) Muhammad Saleem, who failed to conduct a proper inquiry before arresting the two teenagers. “I.O. Muhammad Saleem claimed to have recovered a cell phone and a pair of scissors from the boys, allegedly used for cutting the papers in question. The twins were sent to jail on August 30, 2024, without any proper investigation," Sahotra told Pak Christian News (PCN).

 

Sahotra further argued that Saleem was not qualified to handle a blasphemy investigation, as he lacked the mandatory Islamic education certification required by the court for such cases. “Blasphemy cases require an IO to be a gazetted officer with Islamic education expertise, or they must consult an Islamic scholar during the investigation,” he added. The defence presented 10 previous court rulings demonstrating that the investigation was weak, and the accused were minors who lacked the mental capacity to understand the implications of their actions. Judge Farzana Shahzad commended the defence arguments and ordered the immediate release of the brothers. Additionally, the judge directed the Kasur District Police Officer (DPO) to launch an inquiry against IO Muhammad Saleem, questioning why he jailed the minors without a proper investigation.

 

After the verdict, Sahotra and his legal team went to Kasur Jail at 9 PM to secure the boys' release and safely reunite them with their family. "The twins are now back home and safe with their loved ones," he confirmed.

 

The case against Tabish and Kalu stemmed from an incident reported on August 26, 2024. A local Muslim resident, Ghulam Mustafa Dogar, filed a complaint alleging that the twins, along with two unidentified Christian men, were seen throwing torn fake currency notes on a road in the village of Killaywala. Mustafa further claimed that some of these torn notes contained Quranic verses. According to FIR No. 731/24, registered on August 27, 2024, at Thay Shaikham Police Station in District Kasur, under Section 295B of the Pakistan Penal Code, the act had "hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims." The villagers later gathered the torn pieces in the presence of local elders and found verses of the Quran allegedly written on them. This led to a demand for strict action against the accused.

 

Residents of the area testified that the brothers were illiterate and came from a very poor family. They explained that Tabish and Kalu had visited a shrine to witness the Urs festivities and make TikTok videos. During the celebration, they saw people joyfully throwing money into the air and attempted to imitate them, unaware that they had mistakenly torn pages from a Quranic booklet that was placed nearby. Due to their illiteracy and ignorance, they failed to recognize the religious significance of the pages. Following the blasphemy allegations, police detained the boys' mother and maternal uncle, prompting the family to surrender the twins in an effort to secure their relatives' release. The twins' father, Shahid Masih, worked at a brick kiln before taking up work as a mason, while the brothers had just started working at a local factory days before the incident, sources confirmed.

 

The acquittal of Tabish and Kalu is another reminder of the growing misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, particularly against marginalized Christian communities. Human rights organizations and legal experts have repeatedly warned that false blasphemy accusations—often fuelled by personal vendettas, misunderstandings, or religious intolerance—continue to destroy innocent lives. The legal team and activists have urged authorities to ensure stricter regulations and safeguards in blasphemy cases to prevent future injustices and unwarranted arrests of innocent individuals.