An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA
An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA
Kevin Rafferty
Opinion

Opinion

Kevin Rafferty

Populism, religious zealotry, social media: the unholy trinity that made a lawless mess of Pakistan

  • Kevin Rafferty says the blasphemy case against Asia Bibi is an emblem of a Pakistan that has broken its founding father’s promise of safety for people of all faiths, and a nation that has lost its way

Kevin Rafferty
Kevin Rafferty

Updated: 7:49pm, 27 Nov, 2018

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An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA
An effigy of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy, is held up during a rally in Karachi, Pakistan, on November 21. Radical Muslims have protested against the Supreme Court’s decision to acquit the woman. Photo: EPA
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Kevin Rafferty

Kevin Rafferty

Kevin Rafferty, a journalist for 50 years, started writing about cricket and football for The Observer when at Oxford University. He joined the foreign staff of the Financial Times, was in charge of the FT’s Asian coverage, and opened the paper’s first Hong Kong office. He has lived and worked in Delhi, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, and Washington, and edited daily papers in 30 major cities during IMF and multilateral development bank meetings. He was professor in the Institute for Academic Initiatives at Osaka University.