Pakistan court orders probe into online blasphemy spike

A Pakistan court yesterday ordered a government probe into allegations that young people are being entrapped in online blasphemy cases, following appeals from hundreds of families.

There has been a spike in cases of mostly young men being arrested for committing blasphemy in WhatsApp groups since 2022.

Rights groups and police have said that many are brought to trial by private law firms, who use volunteers to scour the internet for offenders.

"The government will constitute a commission within a 30-day timeframe," said Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan at Islamabad High Court, adding that the commission is required to submit its findings within four months.