A Legal Seminar: The Weaponization of Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan

As members of the legal community, these prophetic words ring loudly when considering blasphemy laws in Pakistan. That is why the Ahmadiyya Muslim Lawyers Association Canada (AMLAC) is hosting a human rights seminar this January 29th, 2025, aiming to illuminate how these laws actively persecute minority groups in Pakistan.

Students will have the unique chance to listen, talk to, and connect with famous lawyers and academics. This seminar is a space to learn about how pivotal a role we all play in protecting vulnerable communities.

Join panellists such as the Honourable Jim Karygiannis, a long-time advocate against Pakistan’s discriminatory laws and a witness to the aftermath of the horrific Lahore 2010 Mosque attacks, who will shed light on his experiences witnessing such weaponization of laws. Peter Bhatti, founder of International Christian Voice, will share anecdotal and social developments of attitudes toward marginalized communities, which have fuelled legal discrimination against minority groups. Both will show how public perceptions influenced the government and thus paved the tragic route for a prejudiced, biased state.

From a legal perspective, AMLAC President Dr. Maood Bin Tahir and seasoned human rights and refugee lawyer David Matas will illuminate case law that shows concrete evidence of human rights violations normalized by the state. From covering cases where Pakistani Ahmadi Muslims are prohibited from inheriting land that is rightfully theirs to being prosecuted simply for circulating books, or how the state is wielding its cyber laws to target Ahmadi Muslims internationally, these esteemed lawyers argue a new type of discriminatory entity has emerged: the religious apartheid state. 

We have a duty to learn about and stand in solidarity with those facing injustice. This event aims to do just that.