A Pakistani anti-terrorism court on Saturday sentenced a liberal scholar and former university lecturer to death on blasphemy charges.

In 2013, Junaid Hafeez was accused by students at the university where he taught of making blasphemous Facebook posts. Blasphemous insults carry a mandatory death penalty in Pakistan, which is about 95 per cent Muslim.

His lawyers say he was framed by students from an extremist party for his liberal and secular views and this month a US religious freedom commission placed Hafeez on its list of global victims.

“He (Junaid Hafeez) shall be hanged by neck till his death subject to its confirmation by the honourable high court,” a court order stated.

His defence lawyer Asad Jamal said he would appeal against the ruling in a higher court.

“There can’t be a fair trial in blasphemy cases in Pakistan,” Jamal told Reuters. “We have a spineless system. No one can stand up to a blasphemy charge.”

Hafeez, who quit his studies at Pakistan’s top medical college to pursue a passion for art and literature, secured a Fulbright scholarship and attended Jackson State University where he majored in American literature, photography and theatre.

The trial was held in a prison in the central Pakistan city of Multan under tight security because of threats to Hafeez’s family and his lawyer.

“Due to transfer of many judges, delaying tactics of prosecution witnesses, and difficulties finding adequate legal counsel for the defence because of the sensitive nature of the case, our son continues to await justice in a fabricated case,” Junaid’s parents had said in a written appeal to the chief justice.

Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, with even unproven allegations often prompting mob violence. Anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam, risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes. Reuters, PTI