Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Agenzia Fides) -Pakistan may modify its blasphemy law after the forthcoming national election scheduled for the end of 2007 or early next year. This was announced by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League part of the governing coalition, during a recent academic conference in Paris. The senator is president of the Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Commission. The news has sparked new hope among human rights groups and the country’s religious minorities especially Christians because the law which allows up to the death penalty for insulting Islam is frequently used to oppress minorities.
The Senator recalled that president Pervez Musharraf tried to reform the law in 2000, months after he took power in a bloodless coup, but had to desist after widespread protests from powerful Islamic religious parties. Senator Hussain said the government will represent the matter after the elections so as not to hand another election issue to the opposition. He said the conditions and intentions to modify the law exist.
Pakistani Christians, Catholics especially, have always criticised the law described as “unjust and discriminating” by Archbishop Lawrence Saldanha the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan who has officially requested its withdrawal in the name of the principles of justice, equality, respect for the human rights of every citizen.
Contrasting signals have been registered in the country in recent months: on the one hand Lahore High Court acquitted and released numerous Christians arrested unjustly on the basis of the blasphemy law, Shahbaz Masih Kaka, mentally disabled; Ranjha Masih a Christian living in Lahore given a life sentence in 2003; Shahid Masih 17 years; Naseem Bibi, 30 year old woman who accusers are not known; Yousaf Masih whose presumed guilt triggered anti-Christian violence at Sangla Hill in November 2005.
On the other hand human rights groups say that in 2006 the conditions of religious minorities did not improve. The blasphemy law was still used to dispose of adversaries, enemies, rivals, business competitors etc., the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance denounces noting an increase in the number of cases of Christians reported for blasphemy.
All Pakistani Christians of various denominations after waging an opinion campaign for many years claiming rights sanctioned by the Constitution hope the law will be modified so that Pakistan society may enjoy more justice, peace and harmony. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/1/2007 righe 27 parole 274)
