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| September 15, 2005 | Thursday | Sha'aban 10, 1426 |
Minorities to challenge Blasphemy Law
ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: A joint front of the minorities on Wednesday announced that it would challenge the Blasphemy Law in the Supreme Court. “This law is frequently misused to intimidate or punish religious minorities and the growing misuse has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity for them,” All Parties Minorities Alliance (APMA) Chairman Shahbaz Bhatti told a press conference in Islamabad.
Mr Bhatti said the wording of the blasphemy law was vague and open ended and the procedure for investigating blasphemy cases flawed. The word ‘blasphemy’ needs to be clearly defined so that the people do not interpret it themselves, he added.
Blasphemy charges are often frivolous or malicious and the law does not require proof of actual state of mind of the accused and disregards the element of intention, he said.
Flanked by the wife and real brother of Younis Masih, accused of blasphemy, Mr Bhatti claimed that hundreds of innocent people had been imprisoned, forced to flee the country or killed by extremists under the pretext of punishing blasphemers.
The Christian leader said the case against Younis Masih, a resident of Chungi Amer Sidhu, Lahore, was fabricated, concocted and based on religious enmity and misunderstanding.
He urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu action and institute a judicial probe into the case.
APMA chief alleged that religious minorities were being roped in false cases under blasphemy law and many of them were murdered extra judicially.
“Religious extremists take the law in their hand and do not even wait for the judicial verdict,” he said.
Meena, the wife of Younis Masih, said her husband was punished for making a request to a neighbour not to sing Qawali in loud voice as his nephew had died. Those listening the Qawali beat Younis mercilessly the next day and her too when she tried to intervene.
Later, announcements made in mosques against Younis instigated Muslims to loot the houses of Christians, she claimed.
An angry mob surrounded factory area police station demanding that a case of blasphemy be registered against Younis Masih and refused to leave until they were shown copies of the FIR.
She said the police booked Younis Masih under section 295C on September 10, 2005, and arrested Younis and his cousin Noble Masih when they came to the police station to lodge their complaint.
Younis was subsequently sent to Kot Lakhpat jail, Lahore.
“Extremist elements are threatening and harassing us. Our lives are in danger and we appeal to the government to save our lives otherwise if some thing happens to us, the government be directly responsible for it,” his wife said.
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