Supporters of a religious party chant slogans in support of arrested Pakistani bodyguard Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, during a rally in Quetta on January 13, 2011. — Photo by AFP

KARACHI: Protesters demonstrated in three cities against a call by Pope Benedict XVI for Pakistan to scrap its blasphemy laws.

The laws stipulate the death sentence for anyone insulting Islam's prophet, Muhammad. Critics say the laws are often used to persecute Christians and other minorities or to settle personal vendettas.

Religious groups recently rallied their base against any move to dilute the laws after the sentencing of a Christian woman to death for blasphemy attracted international condemnation.

Several hundred hard-liners protested Friday in Karachi and two other cities in support of the laws and against the pope for his remarks.

Last week, Punjab governor Salman Taseer who had said that the laws needed to be amended was gunned down by one of his guards in Islamabad.