Qindeel Azeem

The Blasphemy Business Group began its criminal operations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, but swiftly expanded into a nationwide network, establishing a well-coordinated presence in major cities like Karachi and Lahore. Documentary evidence reveals that the same three phone numbers, controlled by the group’s leadership, were repeatedly used in blasphemy-related honey trap schemes across multiple cities. These orchestrated operations often led to kidnappings (later falsely presented as arrests), carried out with the complicity of certain FIA officials working hand-in-glove with the group.

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Key members of the Blasphemy Business Group operate out of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including Rao Abdul Rahim, Shiraz Farooqui, and Shahzad Khan. They work in close coordination with their counterparts in Lahore and Karachi, forming a highly organized network. Many FIRs registered in Rawalpindi and Islamabad by this group involve young individuals who were trapped in other cities across Pakistan.

The mysterious ‘Spain wali Larki’ phone number

‘Spain Wali Larki’ The Spanish phone number +34 602 191128 was admitted in court by BBG head Rao Abdul Raheem as belonging to him. He claimed to have surrendered the device and number to the FIA in 2022

However, the number remained active as recently as 2023 on WhatsApp. In FIR No. 13/2023 (Karachi), this number was used by the girl “Imaan” to trap a Karachi resident Hamad Jamil into a fabricated blasphemy case—highlighting the reach of this Rawalpindi-Islamabad-based nexus into other cities

In the case of Ahmad Satti (FIR #119/22, Rawalpindi), a cross examination conducted in court related to technical report prepared by FIA officer Syed Javed Hussain Shah on 26th June 2023 confirmed that a Spain-based number used by Rao Abdul Rahim removed an individual from a WhatsApp group — an action that can only be performed by a group admin. Despite this clear documentary evidence implicating Rao Abdul Rahim as an active participant, the FIA did not register any blasphemy case against him.

In another FIR No. 41/2023 of Rawalpindi, filed by Shehzad Khan, visual evidence in the form of screenshots extracted from the victim’s mobile phone confirms that the same Spain-based phone number was used to entrap the victim. In this case, the individual operating the number impersonated a woman named “Sara” to initiate contact and manipulate the victim.

The complainant, Shehzad Khan, did not disclose his own mobile number or WhatsApp account details on which he claimed to have received the incriminating material. Furthermore, the number on which the content was allegedly received is not mentioned in any official document associated with the case. This is very unusual because each case required the complainant to disclose the device / number on which they received objectionable content.

Syed Abdullah Shah FIR (73/2022, Islamabad) was abducted and murdered by the blasphemy business group, his story was covered in an earlier FactFocus report. In this instance, Rao Abdul Rahim himself was the complainant, alleging that Abdullah had sent blasphemous content to him via WhatsApp on the same Spain-based phone number.

Similarly, yet in another case, Nazaqat Ali (FIR No. 139/22, Islamabad), a co-accused, stated that he had been contacted by a woman who asked him to save the same Spain-based number on his phone and falsely promised to help him immigrate to Spain. According to Nazaqat, he first received a “Hi” message from the number, was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group, made an admin, and then witnessed the original admin exit the group shortly afterward. Despite the FIR being registered in Rawalpindi, Nazaqat — a resident of Sukkur — was abducted by the same gang and is currently imprisoned in Adiala Jail.

In another case of Muhammad Tariq Ramzan (FIR No. 188/22, Islamabad), this Spain-based number was used for honey-trapping. A woman named Imaan, who used this number, was in contact with both Tariq and his wife. She lured Tariq with a job offer and called him to Islamabad. After Tariq became unreachable (abducted), his wife contacted Imaan, asking about his whereabouts. Imaan responded briefly, with a 7 second voice message to Tariq’s wife. Tariq is currently in Adiala Jail. There are few other voice recordings of Imaan sent to her other victims which are included in the report.

In a shocking development, Ayesha, the wife of Tariq, passed away last week. Struggling to support her children alone after her husband’s arrest, she took up work in a factory to make ends meet. However, ongoing financial hardship, declining health, and emotional trauma took a severe toll leading to her untimely death.

Voice note of honey trapping girl “Imaan” sent to a young victim establishing how different trapping methods are deployed

The Second number 313: Karachi Operations & Connection with Islamabad Command Office

The second number +92 313 6431397, operated by “Imaan” and registered to Khurshid Mai, was used in numerous entrapment cases. This number has also been used to trap multiple youngsters in Karachi. A notable case was related to FIR number 13/2023 where a youngster named Muhammad Hammad Jamil was trapped using this number. Hammad is the same guy who was also trapped by the Spain number as explained in the above section.

However, an official FIA document—a seizure memo—shows that this 313 number is linked to the personal assistant and driver of BBG chief Advocate Rao Abdul Raheem. The assistant, Ghazanfar Ali, who is also a junior lawyer and according to forensic investigations and call records, remains in close and constant contact with Rao, has officially acknowledged ownership of the number +92 313 6431397. This official document helps resolve the mystery of who is controlling these honey-trapping numbers and reveals who is leading the entire criminal network. Fact Focus in its first investigation has introduced the character and role of Ghazanfar Ali.

This number was also linked to the cases of Sohan Khan Niazi (Karachi) and Ali Husnain (Faisalabad), both of whom died as a result of severe torture.

According to Sohan’s friends and family, he had been in a six-month phone relationship with a girl named “Imaan,” who was based in Islamabad. She had repeatedly insisted he visit her, but he declined. Eventually, she traveled to Karachi and invited him to meet her at a shopping mall, where he was abducted by men in plain clothes. Sohan was brutally tortured and sodomised before being transferred to Malir prison. He was taken to the hospital after just one day in custody and later died from his injuries.

Call records confirm that this number was used to trap multiple victims in the same case, including Basharat Ali Shah and Haseeb S/O Munawar from Karachi. Estimates suggest this number was involved in nearly half of all documented cases till 2023.

In addition, Rao Abdul Rahim and Shiraz Farooqi made multiple visits to Karachi. One of such trips coincided with the abduction of a youngster named Syed Azhar Ali Shah. Later on during a family visit to prison, Azhar was shown a picture of Rao Abdul Rahim and he identified him as one of the persons who was present during his interrogation (FIR No. 16/2024). 

During their visit to Karachi, members of the blasphemy business group are frequently in touch with one particular FIA officer Wazir Bhutto (Police Inspector on deputation with FIA). Pictures of Shahzad Khan (Rao’s assistant) and Wazir Bhutto can be seen on social media pages having lunch at a local restaurant in Karachi.

Call Detail records of Shahzad Khan (BBG member and assistant of Rao), also showed that he is frequently in touch with many FIA officials. Call records which were part of investigation of an agency, tie this number to Shahzad Khan of BBG. Further evidence of his collusion with rogue FIA elements emerged through CCTV footage, which captured Khan actively participating in the arrest of victims alongside FIA officers. These were included in an earlier FactFocus report.

The connection of Honey trapping Queen with the BBG Leadership

The queen of honey trapping wing of the BBG, “Imaan” remains in touch with the BBG leadership through Shahzad Khan. This fact was reported in the initial investigation (July 2024) reported by FactFocus. In this report FactFocus the releasing forensic evidence of this connection.

Lahore Operations & Connection with Islamabad Command Office

Hassan Muaviyah – Head of Blasphemy Business group Lahore and Central Punjab

Hassan Muaviyah manages Lahore Operations of the blasphemy business group and holds a lot of power due to his history in religious activism and family influence. Hassan Muaviyah is the younger brother of a known religious scholar Maulana Tahir Ashrafi. Both brothers belong to a powerful religious family with a significant role in Jihadist movements and received fundings from Western and Middle Eastern organizations. Other Important members of Lahore blasphemy business group are Nauman Yousaf and Muhammad Irfan.

Hasan Mauviya is the complainant in at least 27 blasphemy cases. He operates with unchecked authority, routinely portraying himself as a powerful figure with direct influence over FIA officials in Lahore. Disturbingly, CCTV footage shows him personally detaining and abducting an individual in a case where complainant is Zeeshan Ali in FIR 7/24. Several of such videos have circulated on social media. FactFocus has verified the authenticity of some of them through relevant stakeholders and included them at the end of this report.

In a few blasphemy cases, where courts had already granted bails, Mauviya threatened bail guarantors, pressuring them into withdrawing their support by extortion.

The third number 309: Makhdooma honey trapping girl

A third number, +92 309 4928192, was used by a girl named “Makhdooma” and registered under complainant Nauman Yousaf in Lahore. Nauman filed six FIRs, implicating 26 individuals.

In majority of the cases, honey trapping girls avoid making phone calls and strictly connect with the victims using WhatsApp. However, in the case of Ammar Ahmad, (FIR no 13/2023), she connected with him over regular phone call and her phone number can be tracked in Ammar’s CDR.

In FIR No. 13/2023 registered in Karachi under the name of complainant Muhammad Ali Siddique, a total of 13 individuals were trapped. Call detail records confirm that all three phone numbers were actively used in luring the majority of these victims. This evidence clearly establishes a strong connection between the operators of all three numbers and indicates the existence of a coordinated, nationwide entrapment operation.

This number was also involved in trapping of victim Ashfaq Ali Saqib FIR no 102/2022 (Rawalpindi) and the complainant was Rawalpindi based Shiraz Farooqi.

This extensive digital and visual evidence paints a chilling picture: an organized network operating under the guise of religion, weaponizing blasphemy laws to terrorize, extort, and eliminate young Pakistani citizens—with the complicity of some in the country’s own law enforcement agencies.

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