Remarks on Ayaz Nizami
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Secular World
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2021/02
When I wrote and interviewed for the now-defunct Conatus News, I was interviewing some secular and ex-religious leaders. One went by the pen name “Ayaz Nizami.” Our interview was scheduled for late March of 2017. The interview never took place because, although our last communication was March 21, 2017, he was detained by Pakistani authorities on March 24, 2017. The alleged charge was blasphemy.
A social media campaign went online for #FreeAyazNizami (see above). Meanwhile, another of those campaigns against individuals seen as offending the Prophet, or simply offending religious sentiments, also arose: #HangAyazNizami.
In 2017, the authorities arrested Abdul Waheed on the assumption that he was Nizami. The charge was “uploading offensive content on social media,” and he was formally sentenced to death much later, in early January 2021.
He was claimed to have specialized in Islamic law and the Arabic language. He translated some written work critical of Islam from English to Urdu, too. These texts became a potent mix to challenge the theocratic authorities, which would seem to explain his imprisonment for over 1,400 days, followed by a death sentence.
The Pakistani political author Alyan Khan is claimed to have exposed Nizami as Abdul Waheed. Khan must have known of the likely consequences for “Nizami” being exposed in Pakistan. So, the real criminal is Alyan.
It is important to note that, in Pakistan, being an active challenger of Islam is a dangerous position, and this is an admirable side commentary on the noble work of Fauzia Ilyas (pictured). Fauzia Ilyas is a former Director of AAI who has campaigned for Nizami’s release.
Alongside his imprisonment, we know two others were imprisoned. This was a direct move by the Pakistani government to censor and crack down on content that it deems blasphemous.
Currently, Abdul Waheed is imprisoned in Central Jail Rawalpindi under a death sentence, although it seems impossible to prove that he penned the “offensive texts.”
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
