Pakistan Supreme Court Acquits Men Convicted in Killing of Christian Couple

Pakistan's Supreme Court overturned the death sentences of the last three men convicted in the 2014 mob killing of Shahzad Masih and his pregnant wife, Shama Bibi, who were burned alive after being falsely accused of blasphemy.

A three-member bench led by Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan ruled in July 2026 that prosecutors failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt. The court pointed to significant inconsistencies in witness testimony and noted that victims' relatives gave conflicting accounts about the specific roles of the accused.

The couple was killed by a mob in Kot Radha Kishan, Punjab, in November 2014. Shama Bibi was eight months pregnant at the time. The attack drew international condemnation and prompted calls for reform of Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

While the court expressed sympathy for the victims' families, it said its decision was bound by legal merits. Advocacy groups, including the National Commission for Justice and Peace, noted that the ruling highlights systemic failures in how blasphemy cases are investigated and prosecuted.

Pakistan ranks eighth on the 2026 World Watch List for severity of Christian persecution. Legal experts say blasphemy accusations are frequently used to settle personal disputes rather than address genuine religious offenses.

The acquittals come amid a broader pattern of Pakistani courts dismissing blasphemy cases against Christians in 2026. Courts in Lahore acquitted Zafar Masih Swati in June and Nadeem Masih, a blind Christian man, after finding the prosecution's evidence unreliable.