The blasphemy laws change but the death punishment remain
Faisalabad (AsiaNews) - The ultimate death punishment will remain same in Blasphemy laws. We are preparing to amend the blasphemy laws but only the procedural law and application whereas the principal law in which the punishment for a blasphemer is ultimate death will remain the same. The news was made public on Tuesday, July 13, by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ejaz ul Haq on a private TV station. He said that we are working on the basic values of Islam that are forbearance and tolerance. In the new amendment the punishment for a false charge will also be death sentence. Sulman Rushdi the author of the book, "Satanic Verses" should be hanged publicly, he added. The Minister accepted that the law has been misusing and more than four thousand cases had been registered under this law since 1986. And there were only seven cases registered under this law from 1927 to 1986. Ismail Quireshi, senior advocate of Supreme Court of Pakistan said that government have no right to amend this law as this is a purely religious matter and Federal Shar'ia Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan had approved the law and if any one is going to change the law will be equal to deny the Federal Shar'ia Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan. The death sentence in this law is according to the Quran, that is why no one will be allowed to change the blasphemy law, he added. Ismail Quireshi is the same advocate on whom application Federal Shar'ia Court decided ultimate death sentence for a blasphemer. In British rule the punishment for a blasphemer was only two years imprisonment. Fauzia Wahab, Member of the National Assembly, (Pakistan Peoples party) said, it is a big development that people are discussing this law now. Whereas about one year before no one courage to talk about the same law. This law has been misusing by the people and had created hatred among the Christians and Muslims in Judges and lawyers working with blasphemy cases always have to face a lot of pressure and problems by the extremists. She demanded that this law should be repealed. Pakistan does not need such type of laws. Because there are 98% Muslims are living in Pakistan and no one could say or do against Prophet Muhammad. Mehboob Sada, director Christian Study Centre said, that laws are made for the betterment of the society but we didn't find any betterment in the society because of this laws. On the other hand this law proved a tool for some people to settle down their personal disputes. Mehboob Sada also said that holy and pious people could not be get respected by the people by force. We have to employ some other ways for the same purpose. (QF)
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10/06/2004
01/06/2004
