Tue Mar 25 11:26:18 UTC 2025: ## Pakistani YouTube Star Charged with Blasphemy Over Perfume Named After Law
**Lahore, Pakistan – March 25, 2025** – Rajab Butt, a prominent Pakistani YouTuber, has been charged with blasphemy after naming his new perfume “295,” a reference to the country’s controversial blasphemy law. The charges, which include blasphemy and cybercrime, stem from a now-deleted video promoting the fragrance.
Butt’s actions sparked outrage, with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) leader Haider Ali Shah Gillani filing a complaint, citing hurt religious sentiments. Gillani criticized Butt’s choice of name, stating it amounted to celebrating and normalizing the offense.
The charges carry a potential 10-year prison sentence. Butt, who has a large online following, has previously faced controversy, including a case related to a previous video deemed blasphemous and a separate incident involving the illegal possession of a lion cub.
In response to the backlash, Butt issued an apology video, expressing remorse and announcing the discontinuation of the perfume. He drew a parallel between his situation and that of his “mentor,” slain rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, who also referenced the law “295” in his music. The case highlights the sensitive nature of blasphemy accusations in Pakistan, where such charges often incite violent reactions.
First Piper 