It is not always easy to be a Christian in Pakistan, where prisoners who are followers of the faith and adherents of other non-Muslim religions face cruel treatment and discrimination within the judicial system, says International Christian Concern.

The ICC had, in August, cited the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, reporting that Pakistan's blasphemy laws are second in severity only to Iran.

The country's penal code instructs that blasphemers be given a sentence of anywhere from 10 years to the death penalty.,

More recently, on Oct. 8, another Christian advocacy group, CSW UK, reported that a 62-year-old pastor who spent 13 years in prison on blasphemy charges, said to be unfounded, died of a cardiac arrest at his home in Pakistan, just three days after he was released from prison following his acquittal by the Lahore High Court.

Pastor Zafar Bhatti, founder of Jesus World Mission Church, had fought 'fabricated blasphemy' charges from 2012 before dying in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, earlier in October.

Bhatti was arrested in July 2012 after a Muslim cleric accused him of sending text messages which defamed the mother of the Prophet Mohammed, according to CSW UK.

https://www.csw.org.uk/2025/10/08/press/6625/article.htm

He was reportedly tortured in custody to confess to the crime, and in May 2017, he was given a life sentence in prison under the Pakistani Penal Code, which criminalises insulting the Prophet Mohammed.

Bhatti was convicted for allegedly sending text messages defaming the mother of Prophet Muhammad, which he denied, but was reportedly tortured to confess.

Pastor Bhatti, founder of Pakistan-based neo-Christian Jesus World Mission Church, died at the age of 62 of a cardiac arrest on Oct. 5 at his home in Rawalpindi of Punjab province, his lawyer, Saif ul Malook confirmed.

He left behind a bereaved wife. He had no children.

He was released from jail after the Rawalpindi branch of Lahore High Court overturned his blasphemy conviction on Oct. 2.

Bhatti was arrested in July 2012 after a Muslim cleric filed a complaint accusing him of sending text messages defaming the mother of Prophet Muhammad. He was reportedly tortured in custody to confess to the crime.

Pakistan's Penal Code makes defamation of Islam and Prophet Muhammad serious crimes, warranting maximum death and life sentences.

In September 2014, rumors had spread that Bhatti had been shot dead by a police officer in jail, but those reports were later proven false.

On May 3, 2017, Bhatti was sentenced to life imprisonment. His conviction was upheld by a sessions court judge in Rawalpindi on June 22, 2021. Next year, his sentence was increased to the death penalty.

According to Malook, Bhatti was healthy when he was arrested, but in jail, he suffered from various health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.

He had heart attacks in 2019 and 2020, and wounds in his feet and legs, the lawyer said, adding that other ailments included hypertension, vision problems, and depression.