31 July 2004	Saturday	13 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, July 30: Hudood cases will be investigated by officers of SP rank in future. This was stated by Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq while talking to newsmen here on Friday.

He said the government was working to improve hudood and blasphemy laws. There were problems in the implementation of these laws which would be removed through amendments. "Blasphemy against all prophets will be punishable," he said. The elements of misunderstanding, slander and forgiveness were also being considered for addition to the (blasphemy) law, he said.

The minister said the blasphemy law was enacted in 1860, and only one person was convicted under the law in 1927. Nine cases were reported between 1927 and 1984, but as many as 5,000 cases were registered from 1984 to date.

Earlier, the minister told participants in a seminar on 'National solidarity and unity' that no religion allowed killing in the name of honour. The government would soon table a bill in the National Assembly to stop honour killings, he said.

The seminar was organized by the Pakistan Masihee Bazm-o-Danish. Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Minorities Affairs Prof Mushtaq Victor, senior lawyer Hakam Qureshi, Simon W. Johnson and PML-Q vice-president Shahbaz Ahmad also spoke.