Rome: Pakistani authorities may oblige Islamists, fears bishop

The Catholic priest expressed further concerns about the influence of Islamists in the judiciary. Indirect pressure is often exercised on judges and witnesses, says the Bishop, and the equal application of the law is undermined, weakening the position of religious minorities in court.

Bishop Joseph Coutts

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: KathWeb | Austria
By KathWeb | November 8, 2011

Blasphemy law abused by Islamist groups to take action against dissenters

Vatican City, (KAP): The chairman of the Pakistani bishops' conference, Bishop Joseph Coutts, has accused the state authorities’ inaction against a growing Islamic extremism in the country.

"Religious minorities are discriminated against in Pakistan and the government and the institutions of the country remain silent," said Coutts before the Vatican press service "Faith".

A year after the "tragic" death sentence against the Christian Asia Bibi for alleged blasphemy, the conditions for religious minorities continue to worsen, said the Bishop of Faisalabad.

The Islamist groups have continued to misuse blasphemy against Christian and Hindu minorities and against supporters of the Ahmadiyya community. However, the Shiite Muslims are also being affected.

The Islamists have aggressively called for the introduction of Islamic laws and for the establishment of a theocracy.


The Catholic priest expressed further concerns about the influence of Islamists in the judiciary. Indirect pressure is often exercised on judges and witnesses, says Bishop Coutts, and the equal application of the law is undermined, weakening the position of the religious minorities in the courts.

On 8 November 2010, the Christian Asia Bibi was sentenced to death due to the controversial blasphemy law by a court in Sheikhupura in Punjab province.

Efforts to expedite the appeal have been unsuccessful.

The governor of the Punjab, the largest province in Pakistan, Mr. Salmaan Taseer, was gunned down by his own bodyguard for assisting Aasia Bibi in her appeal and his effort to reform the Blasphemy laws in Pakistan.

The Pakistani minister for religious minorities, the Catholic Shabbaz Bhatti, had been murdered by Islamists in March 2011 because he campaigned for a reform of the law.

  -- Translated / edited by Ahmadiyya Times


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