A leading Catholic bishop has called on world powers to demand that Pakistan protect the lives of persecuted minority faith groups under increasing threat from flagrant misuse of the country’s notorious blasphemy laws.

Bishop Samson Shukardin, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, said that unless laws are passed making it an offence to fabricate allegations of blasphemy, Christians and other beleaguered minorities will never feel safe in their own country. The bishop’s comments coincide with news that a Christian man from Sargodha in his 70s, had died in hospital ten days after being attacked by a mob acting on dubious blasphemy claims made against him.

Bishop Shukardin said such incidents would only increase unless the Pakistan authorities clamp down on people falsifying accusations and stop mobs taking matters into their own hands by terrorising victims, their families and neighbours.

In an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), which supports persecuted and other Christians, Bishop Shukardin said: “It is very important that legislation is introduced whereby those found to have wrongly accused people of blasphemy are given sentences including jail terms.”