Pakistani Christian Sentenced to hang

[dmdar]

Hi everyone, apparently Shahzad, a Christian in Pakistan has been sentenced to hang for his faith in Christ, we need to hold him up in prayer now! Please agree with me in prayer!

Lord God we lift up Shahzad to You right now and pray for Your intervention in his situation and for a miracle! We pray for a hedge of protection around him and that You would spare his life, we pray that he would not be executed and would live and not die! We pray that You would send Your angels to protect him and keep him, I pray that You would send a squad of angels to protect him right now! I pray for deliverance from the false charges against him and that all false charges would be dropped! I pray for supernatural strength for Shahzad to endure this situation and that You would deliver him from his situation! I also pray for Shahzad's good health! I also pray for wisdom for the legal team! Thank You God!

 

[Bob]

Thank you for drawing our attention to this case.

Here are some more details.

Arrested as a 16-year-old minor in July 2017, he was falsely accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws, which carry a mandatory death penalty. Despite no evidence and admissions from local authorities that the claims were fabricated, a trial court sentenced him to death by hanging on November 22, 2022. As of December 2025, Shahzad remains on death row. His case highlights the systemic abuse of blasphemy laws against Pakistan's Christian minority, who face mob violence, false accusations, and judicial bias.

- Background: Shahzad worked as a janitor at Shahmim Riaz Hospital in Dinga, Gujrat district. A Muslim coworker, Ishtiaq Ahmad Jalali initiated a religious conversation, probing Shahzad about Christian beliefs. Shahzad, unfamiliar with deep theology, mentioned consulting his father. That evening, a mob from the group confronted him at a mobile shop, twisting his words into blasphemy claims. No witnesses corroborated the accusation.

- Current Status: Shahzad's appeal is pending before the Lahore High Court, with arguments prepared for an imminent hearing. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled his imprisonment violates international human rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In a recent update, Shahzad (now in his mid-20s) reported staying strong through prison Bible studies and prayers from global Christians. ACLJ attorneys visited Pakistan in late 2025 to bolster the case, urging international pressure for justice.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws are frequently weaponized against minorities like Christians (about 2% of the population), leading to lynchings, church burnings, and extrajudicial killings. Christian leaders, including the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, have condemned Shahzad's sentencing as a "travesty of justice," calling for reforms. Groups like USCIRF (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom) list him as a religious prisoner of conscience. Advocacy efforts include petitions via ACLJ and calls from Vatican News for his release.

 

[Debp]

Hi everyone, apparently Shahzad, a Christian in Pakistan has been sentenced to hang for his faith in Christ, we need to hold him up in prayer now! Please agree with me in prayer!

Lord God we lift up Shahzad to You right now and pray for Your intervention in his situation and for a miracle! We pray for a hedge of protection around him and that You would spare his life, we pray that he would not be executed and would live and not die! We pray that You would send Your angels to protect him and keep him, I pray that You would send a squad of angels to protect him right now! I pray for deliverance from the false charges against him and that all false charges would be dropped! I pray for supernatural strength for Shahzad to endure this situation and that You would deliver him from his situation! I also pray for Shahzad's good health! I also pray for wisdom for the legal team! Thank You God!

Agreeing with your prayer for him.

Thank you for drawing our attention to this case.

Here are some more details.

Arrested as a 16-year-old minor in July 2017, he was falsely accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad under Pakistan's controversial blasphemy laws, which carry a mandatory death penalty. Despite no evidence and admissions from local authorities that the claims were fabricated, a trial court sentenced him to death by hanging on November 22, 2022. As of December 2025, Shahzad remains on death row. His case highlights the systemic abuse of blasphemy laws against Pakistan's Christian minority, who face mob violence, false accusations, and judicial bias.

- Background: Shahzad worked as a janitor at Shahmim Riaz Hospital in Dinga, Gujrat district. A Muslim coworker, Ishtiaq Ahmad Jalali initiated a religious conversation, probing Shahzad about Christian beliefs. Shahzad, unfamiliar with deep theology, mentioned consulting his father. That evening, a mob from the group confronted him at a mobile shop, twisting his words into blasphemy claims. No witnesses corroborated the accusation.

- Current Status: Shahzad's appeal is pending before the Lahore High Court, with arguments prepared for an imminent hearing. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruled his imprisonment violates international human rights, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. In a recent update, Shahzad (now in his mid-20s) reported staying strong through prison Bible studies and prayers from global Christians. ACLJ attorneys visited Pakistan in late 2025 to bolster the case, urging international pressure for justice.

Pakistan's blasphemy laws are frequently weaponized against minorities like Christians (about 2% of the population), leading to lynchings, church burnings, and extrajudicial killings. Christian leaders, including the Pakistan Catholic Bishops' Conference, have condemned Shahzad's sentencing as a "travesty of justice," calling for reforms. Groups like USCIRF (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom) list him as a religious prisoner of conscience. Advocacy efforts include petitions via ACLJ and calls from Vatican News for his release.

Thank you for the background on this young man.

 

[Pathfinder789]

Pakistan
#8
- World Watch List (Persecution) in 2025.
- Top 50 countries
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