enlarge Hundreds of Islamist hardliners took to the streets of Pakistan’s main cities yesterday in support of the country’s prejudicial blasphemy laws and against two leading politicians they have threatened for speaking out against the persecution of a Christian woman.
At rallies in Karachi, Lahore and other cities, the crowds of protestors warned the political class against any attempt to amend or repeal the laws. They also chanted slogans denouncing Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Punjab, and Sherry Rehman, a liberal parliamentarian.
Mr Taseer and Ms Rehman were singled out for speaking out against the treatment of Aasia Bibi, an illiterate 45-year-old farmhand who has been handed down a death sentence for allegedly insulting Islam and its prophet. Mr Taseer visited her in prison and called for her to be pardoned. Ms Rehman has submitted a bill in parliament, seeking to amend the blasphemy laws. Both politicians are from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party.
Human rights groups say that the blasphemy laws are an abusive instrument invoked to punish Pakistan’s most vulnerable. They have overwhelmingly been used to settle political vendattas or afford Islamist extremists protection when they have targeted religious minorities.
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Mr Taseer and Ms Rehman were singled out for speaking out against the treatment of Aasia Bibi, an illiterate 45-year-old farmhand who has been handed down a death sentence for allegedly insulting Islam and its prophet. Mr Taseer visited her in prison and called for her to be pardoned. Ms Rehman has submitted a bill in parliament, seeking to amend the blasphemy laws. Both politicians are from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party.
Human rights groups say that the blasphemy laws are an abusive instrument invoked to punish Pakistan’s most vulnerable. They have overwhelmingly been used to settle political vendattas or afford Islamist extremists protection when they have targeted religious minorities.
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5 comments:
What goes on in Pakistan in the name of Islam is a disgrace and an insult to every sane person who calls himself a Pakistani Muslim. The goons of rightist Jamaat-e-Islami have been in the forefront of those who have played havoc in Pakistan since 1948. They have been instrumental in spreading hatred against religious minorities in Pakistan. The blasphemy laws in our country are totally absurd and in this age they violate all basic norms of human civility and religious diversity.
The role of religious rightists represented by obcurantists of Jamaat-e-Islami in Pkaistan is an old story. How these goons have used their influence in the name of Islam to spread hatred and false information against non-Muslim communities is a disgrace. Every sane Muslim should condemn their actions and reject the so-called perversion of justice under barbaric blasphemy laws.
#Some comments on my views:
newmole [Moderator] 1 day ago
This is entirely predictable. What is Islam called again? "The religion of Peace"? Now, the true light of Islam is seen for all the world to see. This is what the UK has to look forward to if even Muslims got real political power. SO what are we doing about it NOW?!
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Nasir Khan [Moderator] 1 day ago in reply to newmole
newmole,
there is a vital difference between the religion of Islam, its universalist message of peace and toleration and the actions of many stupid people who have been brainwashed by their ignorant mullahs and imams and as a result they believe what they say or do is according to 'true' Islam. The nefarious role of religious priestly class is evident not only in Muslim societies and countries but we have the same picture in Christian, Jewish and Hindu fundamentalists on a wide scale. You should be able to see what New Crusaders (Bush, Cheney, Obama, Blair) and Zionists have been doing in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.
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falanf [Moderator] 8 hours ago in reply to Nasir Khan
Nasir, when you talk of the Crusades, ancient and modern, do give a thought to the fact that the original crusades were a reaction to the conquests of the Muslim hordes that came out of Arabia, conquoring all before them and finally threatening Constantinople. They ventually took all of the Middle East, Egypt, N Africa and a good part of the Balkans and Iberia and were only turned back at Poitiers, in France. What shall we call those desert bred conquorers, Crescentaders?
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pained [Moderator] 15 hours ago in reply to Nasir Khan
Nasir, you obviously have no clue! If you have read the qoran and come away feeling that it preaches tolerance and peace, either you are lying or you are practicing taqiyya. All the leading islamic thinkers down the age have without exception opined that the punishment for blasphemy is death by beheading (the favourite islamic pastime). If you have the guts then go tell your opinion to the nutjobs at Al Azhar. Then you will really understand the peace and tolerance of Islam.
Or if you cannot do that, just name one Islamic country where other religionists can preach their faith or criticize the pedophile prophet.
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newmole [Moderator] 21 hours ago in reply to Nasir Khan
I disagree. Sam Harris in his brilliant book "The End of Faith" successfully demonstrated that is is religious moderates who are the real problem as they give legitimacy to extremists. It is religious moderates who give permission for the barbarism committed by extremists. Here we have literature (Quran) from the middle ages which is being interpreted for the purpose of gaining power, control and to terrorise people (a bit like the bible was 300 years ago). It is only though western secularist values that we have moved beyond that. Islam, I fear, will never move beyond the middle ages. And the fact that people ca e executed for blasphemy proves that.
We in the UK must start being more vocal in our opposition to middle ages barbarism. We must shut down immigration where people enter this country with religious views which are disgusting the the majority of decent people.
falanf, your brief comment shows that you know how Arab rule extended to vast areas. The Arab expansion under the flag of a new religion, Islam, has a historical context as was the case in the expansion of Christianity under the Byzantine emperors.
When you mention that 'the original crusades were a reaction to the conquests of Muslim hordes' you are right up to a point. But there was more at stake when the Latin Christendom started its outward push and showed its military power. The Crusades were an integral part of the beginning of the European colonialism. Their target and victims were not only Muslims, but also Jews and Christians. The Crusaders in 1204 conquered, occupied and plundered the the great Christian Byzantine empire. Subsequently, when the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople, the great city was a mere skeleton of its past grandeur because the Latin Crusaders had virtually decimated it.
In fact, I had discussed the Crusades, old and new, as well as the rise of Christianity in my last research book, Perceptions of Islam in the Christendoms: A Historical Survey (2006). Those who are interested in many polemical and partisan attitudes that have existed and still exist in Western/Christian and Islamic traditions, will find this book of interest, which is for free downloading on Nasir Khan blog: http://nasir-khan.blogspot.com
For some unknown reason, my response to falanf's comment was blocked by the moderator. I find it quite odd that someone would do that. But it will be interesting to see if the moderator can give his/her reasons for doing that. My email address is registered with the Independent and there should be no problem contacting me. However, my comment was as follows:
falanf, your brief comment shows that you know how Arab rule extended to vast areas. The Arab expansion under the flag of a new religion, Islam, has a historical context as was the case in the expansion of Christianity under the Byzantine emperors.
When you mention that 'the original crusades were a reaction to the conquests of Muslim hordes' you are right up to a point. But there was more at stake when the Latin Christendom started its outward push and showed its military power. The Crusades were an integral part of the beginning of the European colonialism. Their target and victims were not only Muslims, but also Jews and Christians. The Crusaders in 1204 conquered, occupied and plundered the great Christian Byzantine empire. Subsequently, when the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople, the great city was a mere skeleton of its past grandeur because the Latin Crusaders had virtually decimated it.
In fact, I had discussed the Crusades, old and new, as well as the rise of Christianity in my last research book, Perceptions of Islam in the Christendoms: A Historical Survey (2006). Those who are interested in many polemical and partisan attitudes that have existed and still exist in Western/Christian and Islamic traditions, will find this book of interest, which is for free downloading on Nasir Khan blog (http://nasir-khan.blogspot.com ).
I should also add that in my work as a historian and political analyst, my basic impulse is to appeal to human reason and common sense when we deal with religious viewpoints or some other controversial matters. In religous matters I have respect for all believers of the major faiths while I remain in my world-view and 'confession' a secular humanist and a dialectical materalist philosophically.
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