- RSS
- Today's Paper
- Subscribe
- beta 2.1
Alerts
Blasphemy laws: Thousands rally in support
Thousands of supporters take to the streets to proposed against amendment or repeal of the blasphemy laws.
Thousands gather in Karachi to protest against amendments to the blasphemy law. PHOTO: ONLINE
KARACHI:
Thousands of people rallied in Karachi on Sunday against the controversial reform of a blasphemy law that was behind the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer.
The rally was organised by Tahaffuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat, a conglomerate of religious parties opposed to any changes in the blasphemy laws. Thousands of activists of religious parties blocked the main MA Jinnah road holding banners in support of Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the alleged assassin of Taseer.
“Mumtaz Qadri is not a murderer, he is a hero,” said one banner. “We salute Qadri’s courage” said another.
“There are at least 40,000 people here and more are coming,” senior police official Muhammad Ashfaq said. Another senior police official said some 3,000 police officers were guarding the event, which had forced the closure of businesses and roads in the area. Addressing the rally participants, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, said that tens of thousands of people turned up on the streets of Karachi in support of the blasphemy laws which showed that nobody could even think of repealing them.
He claimed that the West, the United States in particular, was pulling the strings of the so-called liberals who were demanding repeal of the blasphemy laws. Calling it liberal extremism, the Maulana said that religious parties would protect the blasphemy laws at any cost and they would not budge even an inch in their position.
In a veiled reference to the slain governor Punjab Salman Taseer, the Maulana said anybody calling the blasphemy law a “black law” was also a blasphemer. He added that Taseer was himself responsible for his death and the government was equally complacent.
He called upon the government to stop “persecuting” Mumtaz Qadri’s family, saying that religious parties were ready to support Qadri in his trial.
Maulana Fazl warned the government to withdraw a bill tabled by Sherry Rehman in parliament for amending the blasphemy laws or else get ready for the consequences.
On his part, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawwar Hassan said that the slain governor had ridiculed the blasphemy laws by supporting Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman on death row over blasphemy. “And we don’t feel sorry for what happened to Taseer.”
Hassan demanded that the prime minister make a statement on the floor of parliament that the government has no intention to amend the blasphemy laws. And the government should also force Rehman to withdraw her bill. He also called upon PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and MQM chief Altaf Hussain to clarify positions of their respective parties on the issue.
Qari Ahsaan, from the banned group Jamaat-ud-Dawa, also addressed the crowd. “We can’t compromise on the blasphemy law. It’s a divine law and nobody can change it,” Ahsaan said.
Other speakers at rally included Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair, Jamiat Ulema Islam (Samiul Haq) leader Asad Thanvi, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary Liaquat Baloch and Maulana Yousaf Kasuri of Markazi Jamaat Ahle Hadith.
Controversy over the blasphemy laws flared when Sherry Rehman tabled the bill in November calling to end the death penalty for blasphemy, after Aasia Bibi was condemned to death by a court. Rights activists say the law encourages extremism in the country already besieged by Taliban attacks.
Sherry Rehman spoke to AFP from her heavily-guarded home in Karachi on Sunday and said she would not be cowed by the protest. “They can’t silence me… it’s not any extreme position like seeking to repeal a bill, it’s very rational. They can’t decide what we think or speak, these are man-made laws,” she said.
Politicians and conservative clerics have been at loggerheads over whether President Asif Ali Zardari should pardon Aasia Bibi.
Meanwhile, Christian groups held memorial services in Lahore and Islamabad on Sunday to honour the assassinated governor Taseer.
Bishop Alexander John Malik led a rare gathering of 300 Christians at a cathedral in Lahore. “He was a voice for the oppressed section of society. We dedicate this day to him,” Malik said, before leading prayers for the governor.
With additional input from AFP
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2011.
Read more:
blasphemy
Reader Comments (66)
Pakistan Latest Stories
Healthcare legislation: Governor promulgates HIV AIDS ordinance
It will protect people suffering from the disease in all spheres of life, says law minister.
Ode to a legend: SALU remembers peasant leader Haider Bux Jatoi
Jatoi left the government after 14 years of service to fight for the rights of peasants.
Academic diplomacy: KU to establish a Mandarin institute
Students who complete the language course will be eligible to study in China for free.
PTI changes protest schedule, will no longer disrupt traffic
The party will now hold sit-ins on Fridays and Sundays.
SHC issues notice on another six pleas challenging NA, PS results
Petitioners accuse candidates of the PTI, PPP and PML-N of rigging the polls.
Words that define us: ‘Language is a reservoir of cultural heritage’
We are damaging the English language, said Arfa Sayeda Zehra.
PTI leader’s assassination: Police start probe into Zahra Hussain’s murder
A case has been registered against unidentified men by the state after the family refused.
Assembly waits for go-ahead to call house to order
ECP says that the elected representatives will be notified within 24 hours.
Cinepax - ‘a new step in the right direction’
New cinema with four 3D screens opens in The Ocean Mall in the Clifton area of Karachi.
Ambushed: Currency dealer robbed at gunpoint
The robbers managed to escape following the incident.
Recent Slideshows
More in Pakistan
Post-18th amendment: Oil revenue cake still unevenly distributed
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed or derived from.
Unless otherwise stated, all content is copyrighted © 2013 The Express Tribune News Network.
Technical feedback? [email protected]
This shows the determination of the people of this nation. Islam is within the very roots of this Ummah. When these people take on to the streets , the liberals confine themselves to the newspapers and private forums.
An invisible warrior would remain as an invisible warrior till eternity. Today i saw a picture in Dawn daily with 15 people holding place cards denouncing blasphemy laws ..LOL. Recommend
30,000 are not a lot in city like Karachi. Why are we hijacked by this minority?Recommend
I had often wondered why Quran said the majority of human would go to hell!Recommend
if these people really have balls they should put all this determination in picking up he right leader ,,.all these losers backed by foreign intelligence are going to screw pakistan big time….shame on all these so called muslims….this is not what a muslim is ….today i am ashamed to call myself pakistani. Recommend
”When bigotry becomes law tyranny rules.”Recommend
@Imran – Majority of humans are nonMuslims and hence will have to face jahannum.
@Malik – 40,000 are enough for many things. Don’t think them small.Recommend
.> This shows the determination of the
no, this shows that the bearded freaks are mostly unemployed and idle, and all too ready to attend a rally with their like-minded gullible idiots for a purpose of which even they are not clear about.
the rest of us are usually at work.
as other say, this is a minority playing at being a majority. the pakistani nation must weed them out and line them up in a firing range.Recommend
These people marching are all a bunch of fake so called believers!!! Recommend
Who says 30000 should check his eye sight or may be he is v bad in calculationRecommend
mullah mullah mullah.expres tribune the more time you give to them your credibility falls more. what about dropping an abomb on themRecommend
There were 90% students from Medressahs. Moreover anyone is ready to translate from Holy Qoran Chapter 5 verse 33 for the readers of this blog (5:33).Recommend
“We can’t compromise on the blasphemy law. It’s a divine law and nobody can change it,” Ahsaan told the masses
.
Well that’s odd since the IJI government made major changes to it in 1992 and before that Zia ul Haq’s military regime made changes to it in 1982. Does this mean the army and PML and Jamaat-e-Islami should all get the same treatment as Mr Taseer? These people are such hypocrites and shameless liars, and all in the name of the Prophet and religion that they claim to respect but are disrespecting with their lies. Recommend
And you wonder why Pakistan has a poor reputation?Recommend
Pray for the people who are blindly following western thoughts, though at the cost of their faith and the country as well.Recommend
In religion the number of heads do not matter. There can be a billion ignorant rallying on the streets. Blasphemy has no worldly punishment.Recommend
“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion.”Recommend
Namoose-e-Risaalat per Jan be Qurban hay.
Lakin I oppose killing to Salam Taseer by that fanaticRecommend
@ Muhammad
These are madrassah students backed by political parties. They are even holding their banners. Read it again.
“There are at least 40,000 people here,” senior police official Mohammad Ashfaq told AFP, watching over a sea of protesters bellowing slogans in favour of “jihad” and waving the flags of religious parties.
JUI is not the voice of the nation. They have always failed in elections and it will happen again and again.Recommend
40,000. That too in the name of ‘Allah’. 300,000 supporters of democracy and Benazir Bhutto’s PPP thronged to the same streets on October 18th but these butchers killed those innocents in the name of ‘Allah’. Shameful. There is no comparison between you and us. You will never be able to silence us with guns. Shameful Taliban apologists.Recommend
This shows the narrow and limited version of Islam brimming with religious subjectivity far away from it’s objective essence and above all reeking with EASY CERTAINTY which is the cancer spread all over the Muslim fundamentalist world. A distorted approach towards a dynamic religion. This organized minority through out the Islamic world is destroying everything which is good about Islam. The humility and humanity that the Prophet Mohammed (PBH) left for us to follow is far too difficult for this Mob to follow. Killing people, beheading people. hanging people, stoning to death people and cutting their hands is where their version of Islam originates from because humility, empathy bearing pain and suffering to spread the name of Allah and his Prophet is far way far too difficult to follow. The triumphant smile on Gov.Taseer’s killer shows that psychotic lust which can come from any emotional experience which gives you pleasure. And one which is interpreted as a religious experience by any person like him. And all the potential killers like him were gathered in Karachi to exploit our beloved Prophet name who took every abuse with a smile to spread Allah’s message. he never even cursed those people. This is an incredibly difficult religious path to be chosen. To pick up a gun or a butcher’s knife to kill people in the name of the most sacred person is much easier than to follow the polar opposite example.Recommend
The only way to remove unfair laws is through the Courts. But, the Pakistani Constitutions is so bigoted, not even the Courts cant do anything about it.Recommend
Nathu Ram Godse mindset has slienced another Gandhi fmindset of Pakistan, which was trying to protect weak minority. If India had tread the path Godse wanted, it would have been in a similar mess as Pakistan. Nathu Ram Godse ideology is tainting the Jinnah’s ideology Pakistan. As a result, we are where we are. With no sovereignty and honor.
KhalidRecommend
When reason is asleep than all the monsters come out.Recommend
Most are seminar/Madressah students. They have nothing else to do, except protest on orders from the mullahsRecommend
40,000 out of 20 million in Karachi is nothing. Not even 1%.Recommend
Yup, thirty thousand is a clear majority in a land of nearly two hundred million. Recommend
It is nothing more than routine drama of religious parties to keep harping on the name of religion. They just appear from time to time and beat their chests with the name of religion, they have hijacked the true tolerant, liberal and progressive spirit of Islam and have made this religion of peace and respect as religion of intolerant, violent and regressive people, Can somebody explain to them that Salman Taseer also wanted to maintain the death penalty for those implicated into blasphemy case, but he simply talked of some necessary amendment that would strengthen the investigative mechanism of such cases so that few mean Muslims should not misuse the law for gains of their petty interests, We know well that not all Muslims are pious, we witness daily a murder, kidnap and rape of one Muslim by another Muslim here in Islamic Republic of Pakistan, so it would not be matter of wonder if some Muslim of low socioeconomic status might misuse this law against some of innocent people of minorities, We need to grow tolerant towards people of other religion and should try to avoid using some violent means for making our religious claims imposed on others,Recommend
‘It’s a divine law and nobody can change it’
so basically Zia Ul Haq is divine for these Mullahs!
And they call everyone else blasphemous!!Recommend
Interesting! I read 20,000 protestors in three different newspapers. In fact the real number must not be more than 10,000. The facts are simple, there are thousands of brainwashed kids in madrassas all around Karachi who are ordered to join these protests.
Over the long run we all know these people will never be in control of their own destiny because for that you need intellect and if they had intellect they wont be in the street jumping around celebrating a murderer. In the 80′s they were America’s slaves and now they are the slaves of petrodollars. In both the cases they thought they were saving Islam but in reality they are the biggest enemies of Islam. Recommend
Are these protestors and their mullahs muslims? Who knows? According to each sect, only one of these sectarianist schools(the very sect itself) is truly islamic. All others are digression. Look at what these ignorant mullah’s have always labelled each other with. In the eyes of the Deobandis, the Barelvis are involved in a type of polytheism besides being guily of innovation in islam. For these two reasons, the barelvis have gone astray from mainstream islam. Deobandis also blame shias and maududis of beliefs and practices that against islam. Barelvis are no less vocal in denouncing the deobandis for disrespect for the Holy Prophet. These Mullah’s are too ignorant to understand that nothing can be more barbaric and shameful than condoning a human’s murder for difference of opinion. The western forces they denounce day in and day out today were their fast friends in the imperialist war against soviet russia. They know that they have lost all their credibility and respect in the majority of the masses. ToWisely, they promote anRecommend
These people are so ignorant to understand that by attending such gatherings they are committing blasphemy themselves. Recommend
Give mullah’s power and they will deprive every one of his rights if he does not agree to their ignorance.Recommend
Islam has nothing to do with the barbaric views of these fanatics who are condoning the killing of a man for difference of opinion. they have no respect for human rights. Maulvi should declare that he is not a follower of maulana abulkalam azad or ubaidullah sindhi who would have shuddered if they had known that someone claiming to be their follower would support such barbaric ideas as his.Recommend
I am pretty sure that these zealots will demand that Killer Qadri be tried in Islamic courts.
When independent courts exist at national level why should he be tried by Islamic court? Who will decide under which court system he will be tried? Not all Pakistanis believe in Islamic courts.
Why is the setup of these courts allowed together with regular courts? It should be one or the other. If Islamic courts must exist, then Pakistani people must first abolish all other courts inside Pakistan including removal of Chief Justice.
The religious people in Pakistan act like terrorists because they threaten violence and issue death fatwas. That is what they are going to do with the judges who will try Qadir. They will terrorize them.Recommend
@Muhammad Ziad
Don’t be too sure. You are now alienating your own people against you. Already you have Minorities + Ahmadis + Qadiyanis + Secularists within Pakistan not on your side. It remains to be seen how long military will be on your side. Recommend
@Muhammad Ziad
The people are forced to stay indoors because you people kill anyone- be it judges, leaders or people. Sane people stay away from mad people. That does not mean that cure for madness is not going to be pursued. Most of these powers you got with the help of military rulers and it is military that will be taking away these powers from you.Recommend
You are wrong in thinking there were 15 people at the rally against Blasphemy laws. There were 1000s. That picture was just a close up.
Taking your party workers and madrassa kids…..yes kids, did you not see the number of 10 year olds in the religious rally….to a rally and calling it a voice of the people is a sham and a blatant lie. People who you control by fear and brainwash is not representative of the people. Such people are the minority.
The people who came to the anti-blasphemy rally came by choice, came by their own will, and are not part of any party of group. They are the REAL citizens of Pakistan. The REAL muslims who are against Islam being misused and hijacked by power hungry extremists. Recommend
And you are mistaken in thinking that a discussion in the Blasphemy law amounts to being anti-basphemy law. This law has been misused in Pakistan and the vast majority of the people persecuted under it have been falsely accused.
Is it wrong to ask that there be a strong provision in this law that the wrong accuser is tried under the same law and suffers the same punishment? Why are you of the religious parties so against this? Isn’t this what Islam teaches us? Isn’t ensuring that innocent people are not prosecuted the message of Allah?Recommend
The so called liberal Socrates always talkes of the respect for the opinion of masses and democracy. They should respect Pakistani people’s opinion about blasphemy. Secular element has badly failed on every front and has never been able to convince the masses. The are just able to win election due to Feudalism, corrupt political system and bankrupt administration. I would suggest them to come into the masses, see their problems, share their feelings and respect their values and culture.Recommend
this is not objective journalism – Tribune is being a party to the episode. Look at the angle form where they have taken this picture – there were more than 200,000 on the show for sure, but just because it is not an MQM meeting, they have shown it like it was a flop show. Get it right please. Dont be a party yourself – objective journalism demands otherwise.Recommend
The problem is that this is not Sherry rehman’s or salman taseer’s point of view, this idea was given by west/America & these ministers support this for their own benefits.Recommend
What a wretched nation. People in this country are so misguided. How will defending this law help anyone: how will it improve their daily lives? Will it bring employment, health care and education? Recommend
See 96-1. For heavens read before SPEAKING, WRITING, and agreeing to what you LISTEN on TV and Loud Speakers.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Blasphemy-and-the-Islamic-way/articleshow/7248000.cms
good starting point…Recommend
NilRecommend
Well they are definitely better than the keyboard intellects sitting behind the mask of an online identity judging the world .. because they are actually OUT representing what they believe in rather than hiding behind a computer and complaining how this country is going to dogsRecommend
If the liberal consider blasphemy law so much bad why they failed to com on road in majority to condemnd it? why the liberal sitting in their drwaing rooms and criticising this law through the pages of news papers only.if they r so upset with this particular law why they not com in open?Recommend
Yes, it is true that counts are more than 40,000. But actually the counts are MUCH MUCH more than what is in the news. What a biased coverage by media.Recommend
It is not that this law has ever taken anybody’s life in Pakistan. so the point that this law is widely misused is baseless. there are several other laws which are more misused in Pakistan but never criticized. it is a matter of fact that not a single person has been sentenced to death in Pakistan on account of blasphemy. The pseudo-left liberal progressive people have to open their eyes and say and face the reality which is far from their preconceived notions. Recommend
@Azaadi
To proceed to get a convicted freed while bypassing the judicial process is clearly not only unlawfull but also extremism showing No-confidence on the judiciary, is this what you called mere Discussion ??
Till date Not even a single person has been executed by this law, where does the claim for it’s misuse come from ?? 13-D , 302 has been widely misused, did someone demanded for elemination of these as well ?? does this approach make sense ? Had there been implementation of Blasphemy law and their prevails respect for judicial decisions, Mr.Taseer probably would have not met such situation.
The people whom you are terming as Real Pakistanis are unfortunately being fed on western money via NGO drama to carry on their mission impossible, moreover K-Lugar bill is also ready to give them fresh supply. Even them, there is no place for anti islamic elements in Pakistan nor the people are ready to accept them. Almost 95% of past and current rulers belongs to liberal & secular groups and in this way they are very responsible for the Law & order situation and worst economy today.Recommend
Mullas Mullas everywhere but not a single Muslim in Sight !!!!!Recommend
This Rally and the Murder of Salman Taseer Governor of Panjab remind me the Great Incident of KARBLA when supporters of Yazeed killed Hazrat Imam Hussein and were celebrated in Joy all over in Koofa.Same way the supporters of Blasphemy law are demonstrating on the street of Karachi and other cities of Pakistan on the murder of Salman Taseer. The religious group who organized this rally or procession have so much differences among them, though they claimed to believes in one God and one Prophet and one Book Quraan, but cannot offer Namaz (Salaat) behind each others. They now become the Politician and talked as politician and have their own Party and using Islam to gain their popularity. These poor protesters and demonstrators don’t even know the root meaning of blasphemy law and the conditions set in Quraan, Sunnah and Hadieth (traditions of Prophet Muhammad) for punishment. Thanks God bless peoples of Pakistan.Recommend
Taseer’s supporters should bring 300 on streets if they are sincere with him.Recommend
@alm757 This Rally and the Murder of Salman Taseer Governor of Panjab remind me the Great Incident of KARBLA when supporters of Yazeed killed Hazrat Imam Hussein and were celebrated in Joy all over in Koofa.Same way the supporters of Blasphemy law are demonstrating on the street of Karachi
Now I do not condone the murder but comparing Salman Taseer (a man with flaws) with Hazrat Imam Hussain .. thats just sillyRecommend
There isnt any room for opinion in our country. That’s it.Recommend
Dear pakistanis please wakeup. Do not be your own enemy. The holy Prophet(peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) never permit or order to kill any person who insulted Islam or Him. Please read the life history of our Respected prophet. He forgave every one at the time of the coquest of Mecca. At the time of Conquest of Mecca, the peoples in front of him were those who insulted him, make fun of him and tortured him and other Muslims. Did he order to kill any one who insulted him? did he not forgave every one. Mullah of Pakistan are going to change the history of Islam as they changed the character of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa(peace & blessing of Allah be upon him). He was the mercy for all mankind(Rehmat-ul-alamin) not only for Muslims. Are Mullah going to change this also. Actually the mullahs insulting our respected beloved prophet(peace & blessing of Allah be upon him) by Blasphemy law. We can not find any kind of Blaspemy Law in Sunnah or any example of this law in the history of Islam. Don’t follow the Mullahs Islam. May Allah bless pakistan & give wisdom to Pakistani to understand true teaching of Islam.Recommend
@Alm757 …. funniest comment so far … lolRecommend
Supporters of blasphemy laws please read this: Sahih Bukhari – Volume 1, Book 3, Number 109. Volume 1, Book 3, Number 70. Volume 1, Book 3, Number 106. Volume 1, Book 3, Number 107. Volume 1, Book 3, Number 108.Recommend
@Pakistani57
@imkarachi
Thanks you got the message, you know Prophet Muhammad respect the funeral of enemies, but you can see the followers of Prophet Muhammad these days particularly at this incident of Salman Taseer, how these so called religious leaders React. Is this the teaching of Prophet Muhammad? What image of Prophet Muhammad and Deen-i-Islam these so called religious leaders are giving to the World?Recommend
Can some one tell me where the ” Blasphemy Law” mentioned in Quraan Recommend
Blasphemy laws are man made and were created by mullahs and lovers of mullahs to play with the lives of innocents – this has nothing to do with Quran and Sunnah. The Jahilliayat of Pakistanis Mullahs and their hatchlings are for the world to see – both Muslim and non-Muslim.
The masses have been brainwashed to believe that the mullahs words are beyond question – yet how many Pakistanis can read the Quran with meanings?
No wonder even Saudi Arabian press is calling Salmaan Taseer a shaheed!
But then again Pakistani Mullahs may now turn around and call Saudis kaffirs!
Oh Allah swt please free us from these MullahsRecommend
There is no Blasphemy law mentioned in Quran. It was made by Zia ulL Haq. It was Zia ul Haq who also imported all these savage afghanis to Pakistan. These Afghanis are not even permitted in Afghanistan!!!Recommend
@Alm757. Read 5:33 from Holy Quran.Recommend
@Mohammad+Abbasi
You are right it is a Man_Made Law added in Pakistan constitution of by an amendment 1974 and further amended by Zia in to favor Religious leaders to get their support, once it was amended MEANS doors are still open for further amendments . If Salman Taseer or any one else were asking for review what is harm in it. Please pray God Almighty for a safer PakistanRecommend
There is no physical punishment for Blasphemy in Islam. Holy Quran discourages to hurt others sensitivity but there is not a single verse in Holy Quran which states that blasphemy is punishable by Man.
Chapter 5, verse 34 of the Holy Quran talks about War and even in War it says to forgive if they repent. There is continuity is the verse and even in the chapter of the Holy Quran. Recommend
AssalamuAlaikum,
Have a read through the following verse
Al-Baqara [2:11-12]
This is a clear prophecy about MULLAH’S of today.Recommend
Someone once rightly said. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups. I think we have tolerated enough of mullahs who are bent upon destroying Pakistan.Recommend