Blasphemy allegations, again

Clerics in Lahore have issued yet another blasphemy fatwa (religious decree). This time it is against Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP’s) Samina Khalid Ghurki and one of her supporters, Haji Nasir, who the clerics have alleged to be blasphemers. As in most blasphemy cases, these allegations are not based on any concrete proof. In fact, they have deemed Ms Ghurki and Haji Nasir to be blasphemers because of some allegedly blasphemous remarks by a Shia cleric, Zulfiqar Naqvi, in a local imambargah. Naqvi was invited by Haji Nasir to deliver a sermon and since he is one of Ms Ghurki’s supporters from her constituency, they have labelled all of them blasphemers. On the other hand, Ms Ghurki claims that one of the clerics, Mian Attiqur Rehman, has a property dispute with Haji Nasir, which is probably the reason why he is now resorting to using religion as a weapon. This just shows how the flawed blasphemy laws are used as a tool to settle petty feuds and personal rivalries. In another case, a 25-year-old man in Karachi was accused of burning the Holy Quran even though his neighbours deny he could have been involved in such a blasphemous activity. The accused man’s family claim these allegations are a result of a disputed apartment complex. The police have linked this act with black magic. Such is the level of our police’s ‘investigative’ skills.

The debate on blasphemy laws died a silent death after the assassination of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer on January 4, 2011. When Minorities Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was also assassinated less than two months after Mr Taseer’s death, any discussion even on amendments to these laws ended. According to many human rights and minority rights organisations, the data collected over the years proves that most blasphemy cases are false. While some accused are either killed before or during the trial, a large number of them are still rotting in jails without any end in sight. On the other hand, those who level false allegations are not held accountable. The religious right is so strong that no political party is willing to even start a debate on the blasphemy laws. But how long will the state let the bigots dictate their terms at the cost of innocent people’s lives is something the ruling elite must answer. It cannot allow this injustice to go on forever.

(my editorial in Daily Times)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Persecution without reason

Universities all over the world tend to hire people with a sound academic background as they want the best for their students. The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan did the same when they hired Dr Ghazala Anwar as Deputy Dean of Usul-ud-Din (Islamic jurisprudence) at the women’s campus of International Islamic University (IIU) in Islamabad. Dr Ghazala earned her PhD in philosophy and religious studies from the Temple University (USA) in 1993, with teaching and research interests in Islamic jurisprudence, gender issues, Sufism and sexuality. She was appointed at the IIU under the Foreign Faculty Hiring Programme after her application was reviewed by a Peer Review Committee of scholars. Dr Ghazala Anwar has been part of a movement that has been trying to fight for the just treatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) Muslims. The movement does not preach to others to become homosexuals, but asks Muslims to be tolerant of these “sexual m
Read more

Protesters demand Imran Khan resign

Islamist party leader Maulana Rehman leads thousands to capital, gives PM two-day ultimatum Tens of thousands of protesters, led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, took out a march in Islamabad on Friday, demanding the resignation of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. “You have two days, we cannot show more patience,” Mr. Rehman warned the Premier. If Mr. Khan doesn’t resign in two days, “he will not be able to stop people from entering the Prime Minister’s House”, he said. “Nawaz Sharif had heard this, so had Asif Zardari. Now, they [establishment] should also hear what we are saying,” said Mr. Rehman in a pointed message to the establishment. ‘Stay here’ “Only the people of Pakistan have the right to rule over Pakistan; no institution has the right to impose itself over us,” said Mr. Rehman. “Stay here my friends, do not move... they have to resign in two days, you the people will decide what your decision is. It was your vote that was snatched from yo
Read more

We will shut down entire Pakistan, says Maulana

Maulana Fazlur Rehman says the protests will continue and that Imran Khan’s government should go. As the two-day ultimatum he issued to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan expired on Sunday night, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said the protesters will continue the sit-in until their goals are met. “We have decided that we will not go to any tribunal or Election Commission or any court. The PTI’s (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) foreign funding case is still lying around with the Election Commission after five years. This ‘illegitimate’ ruler’s foreign funding case has not been decided, how will this Election Commission settle rigging cases?,” he said while addressing ‘Azadi March’ in the capital on Sunday. “This is a movement. After this march, we will not stop our journey… Today, we have shut down Islamabad. Tomorrow we will shut down the entire country. Today, we have a huge rally here; tomorrow we will make the entire Pakistan a rally-ground,” he said.
Read more