Pakistan: Government warned against repealing Blasphemy Law

Referring to Punjab governor’s utterances that it was the law given by a dictator, the Maulana said Salman Taseer himself had been appointed as the constitutional head of the province by Gen Musharraf, a dictator. He rubbished the assertion that the Blasphemy Law was like a sword dangling on the minorities.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Nation | Pakistan
ByAshraf Mumtaz | Published: November 30, 2010

LAHORE - Leaders of various religious parties say that those using blasphemous language for any prophet should be hanged publicly and their properties confiscated so that a strong message could be sent to those who disrespect the messengers of Allah.

They are of the view that the Blasphemy Law has set a procedure for action against any contempt accused, and in case the law backed by the followers of all sects, is repealed or softened the emotionally charged Muslims will prefer to punish the alleged blasphemers on their own rather than waiting for a verdict through judicial process.

Maulana Abdur Rauf Farooqi (JUI-S), Qari Zawwar Bahadur (JUP), Hafiz Syed Kazim Raza Naqvi (Tehrik-i-Jafaria), and Maulana Ameer Hamza, Convener Tehrik-i-Hurmat-i-Rasool (SAWW) spoke on the subject at Aiwan-i-Waqt on Monday.


Maulana Farooqi said Asia Masih had been convicted by a court and those critical of the sentence including Pope Benedict were interfering in the judicial system of Pakistan.

He said all Muslims believed that the prophets were innocent and could not commit any sin. However, Christians did not share the view. They did not recognise Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a messenger of Allah or holy Quran as a divine book. Thus, he said, they could say anything about the prophet as well as the Scripture revealed to him.
Castigating those branding 295-C as a black law, Maulana Farrooqi said in fact it was the best of all laws which protected the minorities from being discriminated against.

Referring to Punjab governor’s utterances that it was the law given by a dictator, the Maulana said Salman Taseer himself had been appointed as the constitutional head of the province by Gen Musharraf, a dictator.
He rubbished the assertion that the Blasphemy Law was like a sword dangling on the minorities, and said the law was for everybody and it would be wrong to call it Christians-specific. He cited a reference from Bible that ‘fake prophets’ had been killed. According to him, 3,000 people had been put to sword during the period of Moses (AS).

He alleged that the enemies of Islam had raised the Blasphemy Law issue to fuel differences between followers of various sects and create anarchy in Pakistan. He, however, believed that they would fail in their designs.


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