Govt appeases religious parties on blasphemy law

Pakistan

Govt appeases religious parties on blasphemy law

From the Newspaper
December 30, 2010

By Raja Asghar

Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Action Committee Chairman, Anwar-ul-Haq Haqqani addresses press conference at Quetta press club on Wednesday. — Photo by PPI

ISLAMABAD: In a move to appease religious parties, the government told the National Assembly on Wednesday it had no mind to change the controversial anti-blasphemy law often seen misused against members of minority communities, but appeared calm against political theatrics of some volatile allies.

Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Ahmed Shah interrupted the house proceedings to make a policy statement “with full responsibility” that the “government has no intention to repeal the anti-blasphemy law and to disown a private bill of a PPP member proposing changes in the Zia-era law to abolish a mandatory death sentence against a convict provided by it and to guard against miscarriage of justice.

The government assurance came ahead of what has been described as a countrywide “shutter down strike” called for Friday by a religious grouping seeking to protect the dignity of the holy prophet Mohammad (PBUH), or “namoos-i-risalat”. “The government regards safeguarding ‘namoos-i-risalat’ as its responsibility and believes in it”, the minister said and, in a reference to the daft submitted by former information minister Sherry Rehman but yet to come before the house, added: “If someone has brought a private bill, it has nothing to do with the government.”

Mr Shah also assured the house that the government would not allow any wrong done to minorities, which have often complained of false accusations made against their members under a law enforced by former military dictator Gen Mohammad Zia-u-Haq as part of his controversial campaign to Islamise the Pakistani society. But he did not specify any measures to do that.

The strike call was given by a “Namoos-i-Risalat” conference held in Islamabad on Dec 15 under the auspices of Majlis-i-Tahafuz Khatam-e-Nabuwat (association for the protection of the finality of prophethood), which was also attended by the representatives of some banned religious groups operating under new names. ……

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URL: www.dawn.com/2010/12/30/govt-appeases-...-blasphemy-law.html

Religious parties announce strike over blasphemy issue

National

Religious parties announce strike over blasphemy issue

From the Newspaper
December 28, 2010

PESHAWAR, Dec 27: Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat has announced a province-wide shutter down strike in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Dec 31 to stall any move for making amendments to the blasphemy law and appealed to business community to make the strike a success.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the steering committee of Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat at Al-Markaz-i-Islami with its convener Shabir Ahmed Khan in the chair here on Monday.

Those who attended the meeting included Shamsur Rehman Shamsi and Maulana Amanat Shah of the JUI-F, Ikramullah Shahid and Maulana Abdul Haseeb Haqqani of JUI-S, Fayaz Khan and Maulana Merajuddin of JUP, Fazalur Rehman Madni of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Ramzan Tauqeer of Tehrik-i-Islami, and Israrullah advocate and Hamidullah Jan of JI.

The participants criticised Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and Pakistan People`s Party MNA Sherry Rehman for their attempt to help release the blasphemy convict Aasia Bibi.

“There is no room for changes in the blasphemy law as it is a matter of faith,” they unanimously said and asked the government to forthwith reject the bill presented by Sherry Rehman in the National Assembly for amendment to the law.

Holding their respective party flags activists of all the religious parties would hold rallies and public meetings in different districts, and the traders would keep the shutters down to express solidarity with the Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat.

The meeting decided that the district leadership of all the parties would hold meetings with traders to seek their complete support for shutter down strike. However, the traffic will remain smooth in all the districts. The steering committee will meet again today (Tuesday).

©2010 DAWN Media Group. All rights reserved
URL: www.dawn.com/2010/12/28/religious-parties-announce...issue.html

Several injured, arrested at Sunni Ittehad Council rally

Pakistan

Several injured, arrested at Sunni Ittehad Council rally

Agencies
November 27, 2010

The workers of Sunni Tehreek (ST) arriving on board Khyber Mail were arrested at Rawalpindi Railways station. — File Photo

ISLAMABAD: Over a hundred local leaders and activists of Sunni Ittehad Council were arrested on Saturday. Police stopped the rally near ‘Soha Rawalpindi, where the activists had held a sit-in protest and were determined to move forward.

Police in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi jump-started into action since Saturday morning in a bid to stem Council’s Long March from Islamabad to Lahore. Hazrart Bari Imam Shrine was sealed.

The workers of Sunni Tehreek (ST) arriving on board Khyber Mail were arrested at Rawalpindi Railways station.

According to Cantt Police Station, at least 50 people were taken into custody. Meanwhile, Sunni Council spokesman claimed over 200 of their workers were nabbed.

In view of security apprehensions, the government was in top gear since yesterday to stanch Islamabad-Lahore Long March announced by Sunni Ittehad as the march to ‘Save Pakistan’.

Islamabad’s exits and entry points especially those roads leading to Bari Imam Darbar were heavily guarded with baton-wielding police contingents armed with tear-gas shells and armored personnel carrier (APC).

Police were given duties outside madaris in support of Sunni Tehreek. Also, some local leaders were browbeaten into staying back.

Police took 19 Tehreek workers including a local leader during an operation in Jhelum.

According to Rawalpindi officials, over 100 people have been taken into custody. – Agencies

Chief of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) Sahibzada Fazal Karim on Saturday said the SIC will not allow the repeal of the blasphemy laws. He said terrorism had distorted Pakistan’s image across the globe, adding that those persuading people for suicide bombings were not loyal to Pakistan.

Hundreds of SIC activists started a nearly 200-mile long march on Saturday in a protest against Taliban attacks on the country’s religious sites.

Authorities warned that militants could attack the procession which was being led by Sahibzada Fazal Karim.

Police escorted the convoy out of Islamabad, where the journey had started.

The participants, travelling on foot and in cars, plan to rally in Lahore, where 47 people died in a suicide bombing at a Sufi shrine in July.

While addressing the participants of the long march at Islamabad’s Bari Imam shrine, Karim said the government had not accepted the SIC’s demand for legislation to curb terrorism and called for an All Parties Conference on the issue.

He further demanded the release of the arrested SIC activists.

The local administration had imposed Section 144 in Rawalpindi and several activists from various religious seminaries had been arrested.

Following intelligence reports of possible terror attacks, the Punjab government had banned the long march to avert any untoward incident.

©2010 DAWN Media Group. All rights reserved

URL: www.dawn.com/2010/11/27/we-will-not-allow-repeal-of-blasphemy-laws-sic.html

Religious parties threaten protest in blasphemy case

Pakistan

Religious parties threaten protest in blasphemy case

From the Newspaper
November 24, 2010

Activists of Jamaat-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat stage demonstration in support of their demands outside press club Lahore on Wednesday. — Online Photo

LAHORE: Religious parties have warned the Pakistan People’s Party government, especially Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, of a rigorous protest drive if they try to release the woman convicted of blasphemy.

The Aalmi Tanzeem Ahle Sunnat staged a demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday where participants chanted slogans against Taseer for promising to use his influence to seek presidential pardon for Asia, who was sentenced to death by a sessions court judge on blasphemy charges.

Addressing the demonstrators, Pir Afzal Qadri demanded the Supreme Court take notice of the governor’s interference into the judicial system and disqualifying him to hold the public office as, what Qadri said, Taseer had proved himself to be an enemy of the religion by declaring the blasphemy law as ‘black law’ and the verdict a “cruel judgment”.

Other speakers demanded that President Zardari should refrain from hurting feelings of the Ummah by granting pardon to the convict otherwise a protest drive would be launched against the government.

They announced observing Friday (Nov 26) as a protest day against the governor’s statement and his intention to seek relief for the convict.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) amir Munawwar Hasan has also condemned the campaign launched by the governor and the country’s secular lobby for the release of Asia, and said the nation would foil every conspiracy to abolish the blasphemy law.

In a statement, he said any such attempt would prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the PPP government.

He said the JI would consult other political and religious parties to chalk out a joint line of action against the secular lobby’s designs.

Besides some foreign powers, the secular lobby and the foreign-funded NGOs having ‘anti-Islam’ and ‘anti-Pakistan’ agenda were pressurising the government into releasing the convict in a blatant interference in the country’s judicial system and its internal affairs, he alleged.

He said none of the human rights or women’s rights bodies had made any protest when a US court sentenced Dr Aafia Siddiqui to 86 years in jail without any proof and no ruler, including the governor, felt any sympathy for her.

However, on the conviction of Asia, Taseer promptly reached the jail to ensure “justice” to a blasphemer and even President Zardari hinted at releasing her, the JI chief lamented.

©2010 DAWN Media Group. All rights reserved

URL: www.dawn.com/2010/11/24/religious-parties-thr...hemy-case.html