In Pakistan, the Muslim cleric who denounced a mentally challenged Christian girl of 14 for blasphemy has now been arrested for allegedly framing her. It is the latest bizarre twist in a case that sparked a worldwide outcry. In Pakistan, blasphemy can bring a death sentence or life in prison, though no one has yet been executed.
The authorities deserve credit for detaining Khalid Chisti, after a member of his own mosque said that he deliberately placed pages of the Qur’ran among non-sacred texts the destitute girl burnt as part of her scavenging job — a charge the imam denies. Whatever the truth, it is the law itself that should be on trial.
Since it was passed in 1987 by military dictator Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, the blasphemy law has ravaged Pakistan like a virus, infecting and gravely weakening society. It has set Muslims and minority groups against each other, even victimizing moderate Muslims who seek reforms. Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission calls it a “reign of terror” against minorities. Advocates say it is used to settle scores, attack the mentally ill and drive out those who do not subscribe to the most conservative, even extreme, forms of Sunni Islam.
The hatred the law has fuelled has been blamed for the mob killings of seven Christians, among others. Two Muslim politicians were assassinated for opposing the law. A mentally ill man accused of burning the Qur’an was seized and beaten to death. Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was sentenced to hang.
The need for change is urgent. Fears were raised that releasing the Christian girl from her grim jail cell, where she didn’t belong in the first place, might expose her to a worse fate. Christians in her poor neighbourhood have fled their homes, terrified of vigilante “justice.”
Christians and moderates are soft targets because they are seen as surrogates for the Western countries that extremists revile. Attacking them lends the militants street credibility.
That the accused killer of moderate Punjab governor Salman Taseer was lionized as a hero shows the scope of the challenge that Pakistan’s government and reform-minded Muslim scholars face. They need to change not only the law, but the national conversation. Those who invoke the blasphemy law purporting to defend Islam only set Pakistanis against each other, weakening the nation.
NOTE BY THE EDITOR: Any mentioning of Pakistan’s blasphemy law that fails to mention its main target: members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at I would consider to be incomplete or even misleading.
Source: The Star.com
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1252541–pakistan-needs-to-change-blasphemy-law
Categories: Asia, Pakistan, Pakistan Inter-Faith
Mullah the worse creature on earth need these laws. In all cases of accusations against innocent Ahmadiis are the rsult of devilish mind of miserable mullahs. Since Ziaulhaq who started this satanic period by listening to these devils. He has burned in his own fire but with the oil money of Saudi Arabia the madarsaas are producing an army of mindless mullahs to destroy Pakistan. From day one this devil mullah was against Pakistan now they question the loyalties of Ahmadiis. If Pakistanis do not open their eyes at this time this devil is very busy in destroying the country. Mullah is expert in framming other people with lies.
Long over due. The law should not have been on the books to begin with. What is noticeable is the growing dissatisfaction and criticisms about the stupid law from all sides specially US media and non Ahmadis.