Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law Puts The Country On US Watch List For Religious Freedom Violations

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Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law Puts The Country On US Watch List For Religious Freedom Violations
Pakistan’s Blasphemy Law Puts The Country On US Watch List For Religious Freedom Violations

United States recently put Pakistan on its annual watch list for religious freedom violations . Pakistan has been placed fifth in the list featuring 50 most dangerous countries in the world for Christians.

Daniel Mark the chairman of U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom stated that in the Sunni majority country, religious minorities were being harassed with the threat of the blasphemy law.

US Halts Aid To Pakistan

President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of US aid of over $200 million coincidentally on the same day of the release of Open Doors’ annual list of 50 most dangerous countries of the world for minority religious freedom violations.

As per the State Department, Pakistan has remained unsuccessful in eradicating Islamic militant organizations from its soil.

Some critics believe that Pakistan’s harsh blasphemy law has led to religious beliefs affecting its legislation.

Pervez Hoodbhoy a political analyst noted that for over three decades, Pakistan’s military establishment has “stoutly denied supporting violent religious groups,” but now the military’s attitude is “more ambivalent.”

With religion being a sensitive issue in Pakistan the government is unwilling to challenge such issues directly.  A few months ago a minority group called Ahmadis, faced judicial violence for  ‘opposing blasphemy’.

Protests By Barelvi Movement Reviving Issue Of Blasphemy

Khadim Hussain Rizvi a cleric of the Barelvi movement, recently led a large procession to Islamabad protesting the alteration of the parliament oath calling it blasphemy. Six protestors died in this rally and military had to negotiate with them to unblock the main highway of Islamabad.

The severity of the protests led to Law Minister Zahid Hamid taking responsibility for the change in the oath and resigning.

In an earlier instance, Mumtaz Qadri also a follower of Barelvi movement, killed Governor of Punjab Salman Taseer for opposing the blasphemy law, for which he has been sentenced to death.

The murder put the spotlight on the issue of blasphemy and reactivated the Barelvi movement, as per Hoodbhoy.

Rizvi belongs to the party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah which entered the parliament for the first time after last July elections.

Blasphemy Law Affecting Innocents

Blasphemy law was initially introduced under British rule which carried the maximum punishment of two years in prison. Later when Islamic movement was revived in the Gen. Zia ul Haq regime , a strict legislation was developed for violation and blasphemy of the holy Quran.

While addressing a U.S general assembly, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stated that the government’s job was to make sure that the laws “are not abused and innocent people are not prosecuted or persecuted.”

However, according to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom there are currently around 40 people either sentenced to death or sentenced to serving life under the blasphemy law.

The National Commission for Justice and Peace report shows that since 1987, 633 Muslims, 187 Christians, 494 Ahmadis, and 21 Hindus have been charged for blasphemy.

In many cases, blasphemy law has been abused or used as revenge in nonreligious quarrels.

Few Of The Recent Cases

  • Asia Bibi is a recent blasphemy Christian victim, who has been on the death row since 2010.
  • Another Christian Nadeem James has been sentenced to death for sharing anti Islamic literature with his friend on social media in September last year.
  • A mentally retarded person was beaten up by a mob for passing blasphemous remarks in a mosque in Chitral and has been charged under blasphemy and terrorism laws.

Ahmad Waqass Goraya a blogger has noted that the blasphemy law is being used to humiliate people and their families,  leading them to face harassment from extremists.

 

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