Meditation 1022
Blasphemy in Pakistan
by: John Tyrrell
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As was demonstrated in Pakistan by the recent blasphemy case against a Christian child, Islamic rabble-rousers are not above planting evidence to stir their followers into violence against others. Meditation 996
The history of blasphemy cases in both Pakistan and Egypt show that charges are brought on the flimsiest of evidence, frequently invented. Meditation 999
The mentally-challenged Pakistani girl who was charged with blasphemy using trumped up evidence to incite hatred against Pakistan's Christian community was cleared this week by the county's Supreme Court. I suppose that can be considered good news. Her lawyer was quoted as saying that this verdict "sends out a positive image of Pakistan in the international community that there is justice for all."
Justice? The case of a mentally challenged girl was taken all the way through a court system to the Supreme Court by overly-zealous Muslim prosecutor with no real evidence. Even though she was cleared in the end, that's not justice - it is persecution. And that's not a positive image for Pakistan.
The fact that she was charged in the first place was not justice - it was persecution. And that's not a positive image for Pakistan.
The fact that Pakistan continues to prosecute anyone for blasphemy is not justice - it's persecution. Currently it's running at about 100 charges a year - or 2 people prosecuted every week with a charge that potentially carries the death penalty. And that's not a positive image for Pakistan.
The blasphemy laws are used most often as weapons against those who are not Sunni Muslims - used primarily against Christians, Hindus, Parsi, Shi'ite Muslims and Ahmadiyya Muslims. Blasphemy accusations are used as a tool to create inter-communal strife. That's not justice - it's persecution. And that's not a positive image for Pakistan.
The fact that Pakistan continues to have laws against blasphemy is not justice - it's persecution. And the Prime Minister has stated he has no plans to change the law. And that's not a positive image for Pakistan.
We can be happy that the young girl was cleared - but don't honour it by the word "justice."
Meanwhile Islamic extremists have managed to have the police open a blasphemy investigation into Pakistan's ambassador to the US. Her blasphemous offence is that she has spoken out against her country's blasphemy laws. Several extremists clerics have called for her death. And that's really not a positive image for Pakistan