Two Christian nurses accused of blasphemy in Pakistan were acquitted by a district court in Faisalabad, bringing an end to a legal ordeal that lasted more than four and a half years. The ruling, delivered in November, cleared Mariam Lal and Newosh Arooj after the complainant failed to substantiate the charges, according to ACI International.
The case stemmed from an incident in April 2021 at Civil Hospital Faisalabad, where a senior doctor alleged that the two women defiled a sticker bearing an Islamic inscription. The allegations reportedly sparked mob anger, forcing the nurses to narrowly escape lynching before being arrested and charged under Section 295-B of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which carries life imprisonment.
Throughout the proceedings, the nurses faced death threats and were permitted to avoid appearing in open court for security reasons. Their legal defence was handled by the National Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, with support from Aid to the Church in Need.
The decision marked a rare instance in which a trial court dismissed blasphemy counts instead of deferring the case to higher courts amid external pressure. NCJP officials reported that the verdict reflected an independent and courageous judicial approach.
ACI International reported that while the families expressed relief, efforts now focus on rehabilitation and ensuring a dignified future for the acquitted nurses.