Pakistan Daily Times: Religious parties reject plans to amend blasphemy law
— “LAHORE: Rejecting any changes to the Namoos-e-Risalat Act — or the blasphemy law — religious parties have warned the government that they will not accept any move to repeal or amend the law.”
— “The Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan and the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Haqooq Ahl-e-Sunnat — which hold more sway in Lahore, Multan and southern Punjab compared to other areas of the province — organised religious conventions on Saturday to ‘condemn’ suggestions by the government to amend the act.”
— “Addressing one of the conventions, Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan chief Hafiz Abdul Guffar Ropari and leaders Hafiz Abdul Wahab Ropari and Maulana Muhammad Abdullah refused to accept any changes to the law. They said the government must not amend the law ‘if it wants to remain in power.’ They said those who believed in Islam would come out onto the streets if a single change was made. The Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Haqooq Ahl-e-Sunnat also organised a conference, and central party leaders — including Haji Abdul Majeed Saifi, Mufti Muhammad Asif Naumani, Mufti Muhammad Afzal Chishti and Mian Ghulam Shabbir Qadri — censured the government the government for sending the Blasphemy Act to a National Assembly standing committee for revision.”
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ICC: Pakistan’s Islamic Political Parties Warn Government Not to Amend Blasphemy Law
— “Washington, D.C. (November 3, 2009)–International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on October 31, two prominent Islamic political parties warned the government of Pakistan not to amend or repeal the blasphemy law. The law has been a major cause of violence against Christians.”
— “According to The Daily Times, Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan and the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Haqooq Ahl-e-Sunnat, mainstream political parties with large supporters, threatened to call for protests if the law is altered. The Daily Times quoted Hafiz Abdul Guffar Ropari, the leader of Jamaat Ahl-e-Hadith Pakistan, as saying that the government of Pakistan must not amend the law ‘if it wants to remain in power.’ ”
— “Pakistan’s blasphemy stipulates that defaming the Islamic prophet Mohammed or desecrating the Qur’an is punishable by death and life imprisonment respectively.”
— “Muslims have used the law to repeatedly incite violence against Christians. In August, a Muslim mob killed 11 Christians and burned down over 40 Christian homes following false allegation of desecration of the Qur’an in the Pakistani city of Gojra.”
— “Muslims also have been the victims of the blasphemy law. According to the State Department’s report on International Religious Freedom, in 2008 alone, 17 Muslims and 25 Ahmedis were arrested for allegedly violating the blasphemy law.”
— “ICC’s Regional Manager for Africa and South Asia, Jonathan Racho said ‘It’s unfortunate that political parties stand in the way of repealing the blasphemy law which has been misused against Christians, Muslims, and Ahmedis. We urge the government of Pakistan to end the misuse of blasphemy laws by repealing it once and for all.’ “
