Author: Omer Farooq Khan
Publication: The Times of India
Date: December 31, 2010
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Shutdown-in-Pakistan-to-oppose-proposed-amendment-in-blasphemy-law/articleshow/7196929.cms
Pakistan on Friday observed a strike responding
to a call by leaders of religious parties to protest against the possible
changes to the blasphemy laws.
In all major cities and towns, markets and
business centres were closed. Protest rallies and demonstrations were carried
out after Friday prayers in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi,Quetta,
Kashmore and Hazara division.
No public transport was reported in the country's
commercial hub of Karachi, where demonstrators blocked traffic as part of
the protests called by religious parties.
The strike call was given by the "Namoos-i-Risalat"
conference held in Islamabad on December 15.
The government, however, has already distanced
itself from a bill to change the law, which carries a mandatory death sentence
for anyone who insults Islam.
Earlier, on Thursday, the federal minister
for religious affairs Syed Khurshid Shah appealed to religious parties to
call off Friday`s strike and categorically declared that the government was
not bringing any bill to amend the blasphemy law.
Friday's strike was organised against a bill
submitted in parliament by Sherry Rehman, a member of the ruling Pakistan
People's Party (PPP) and a former information minister. The bill sought to
amend the law by abolishing the death sentence and by strengthening clauses
which prevent any chance of a miscarriage of justice.
The law came under the spotlight after a Christian
woman, Asia Bibi, was sentenced to death in November by a court on charges
of insulting Islam. Critics and rights groups say the law is used to persecute
religious minorities, fan religious extremism and settle personal scores.
The Tehreek Namoos-i-Risalat (movement for
the sanctity of prophet) urged the government to dismiss Punjab Governor Salman
Taseer and ask Sherry Rehman to resign from the National Assembly for their
views against the blasphemy law.
The demand was made by Maulana Asad Thanvi
at a press conference in Karachi. "We ask the government to disband a
committee headed by minister for minority affairs Shahbaz Bhatti for recommending
changes in the blasphemy law and make a categorical announcement that the
government will have to carry out the sentence given by a court to Asia Bibi,"
Maulana Thanvi said.
"Sometimes the rulers talk about removing
the words Islamic Republic from the name of the state and at some other time
they want to expunge Islam-related articles from the Constitution. And now
their party's governor is talking about pardoning Asia, who has been convicted
by a court of committing blasphemy," another fiery cleric told demonstrators
in Rawalpindi.
"Now Kafirs (infidels) will tell us how
to practice our religion. This government is planning to change the blasphemy
law under foreign pressure but Muslims of this country will never allow it
to do so," Maulana Gohar Shah, a cleric and former parliamentarian of
the Jamiat Ulema Islam told angry protestors in Peshawar.