Blasphemy Protection Gang and BBC’s Falsehood: A Fact-Check
Friendship with Women, WhatsApp Groups, and Social Media: Stories and Allegations of Pakistani Youth Arrested in Blasphemy Cases” was published on the BBC Urdu website, operated under the British state broadcaster BBC. This report was also featured as part of BBC’s flagship program *Sairbeen*. Surprisingly, this report from the seemingly credible BBC is riddled with blatant falsehoods.
The report begins with a highly emotive story of an individual named “Imran,” who allegedly worked in Dubai and was arrested on charges of blasphemy upon returning to Pakistan. It is claimed that his mother stated he had been chatting with a woman on social media, who added him to a WhatsApp group where blasphemous content was shared. This “innocent” individual allegedly forwarded the content to her at her request, leading to his arrest by the FIA (Federal Investigation Agency), and so the typical narrative unfolds.
Now, let’s uncover the truth!
The story of the fictitious “Imran,” presented by BBC in a compelling manner to evoke public sympathy, is set in Adiala Jail. According to official records, the only person arrested after returning from Dubai and currently held in Adiala Jail is named Jehanzeb.
According to a verified FIA report, his full name is Jehanzeb, son of Abid Hussain. An FIR was registered against him on 17-04-2024, and he was arrested on the same date. A Samsung Galaxy A21s mobile phone was recovered from him, and a 34-page technical report and a 101-page forensic report were compiled.
Forensic evidence reveals that Jehanzeb operated social media accounts under the names *Syed Faizan Shah, Faizi Shah, Parvati Devi, Meher Begum, Zakira Shagufta,* and *Dolfin Doll*. He used Facebook to spread blasphemous content and was an (admin of groups sharing such materia), as well as a **content creator** of blasphemous material. The Facebook groups he administered were named *DHARMICK MAZHBI BEHNEIN*, *Mazhabi Randiya*, and *Darasga*. The blasphemous content he disseminated included group posts, personal messages, public videos, and images.
The complainant, (Muhammad Usman Siddiqui), approached the FIA after repeatedly encountering blasphemous content from Jehanzeb’s Facebook ID. He provided his Facebook ID and password to the FIA, which enabled them to retrieve the material. Following Jehanzeb’s arrest, forensic tests on his mobile phone confirmed all the content shared on Facebook.
Notably, there is **no mention of WhatsApp** anywhere in the FIR, arrest, recovery, or forensic evidence process related to the fictitious “Imran” (real name Jehanzeb, son of Abid Hussain). (The FIA documents can be viewed with the post.)
However, BBC made no effort to verify the case’s facts or evidence—or perhaps deliberately propagated a one-sided, agenda-driven narrative contrary to the truth. In either case, this is a egregious
example of journalistic dishonesty.
On social media, countless storytellers have been misleading the public with such fabricated tales on a daily basis. As their deceitful narratives lose credibility, BBC has now stepped into the fray to push this agenda.
Inshallah, we will continue to expose their lies and baseless stories with reason and facts.
Read More
Blasphemy: The West’s Centuries-Old Psychological Warfare
Blasphemy Laws in Pakistan: The Controversy of the ‘Blasphemy Business Gang’ and Judicial Response
