Do not mix religion and politics: Khursheed Shah

PPP ministers claim no proposal is under consideration to amend or repeal the blasphemy law.

Minister for Labour and Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah has urged political parties not to use religion as a "tool to play politics".  He was addressing a press conference in Karachi.

Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Information Sumsam Bukhari has said no PPP parliamentarian has endorsed the statement of Punjab Governor that blasphemy law was a black law. He has also claimed that no proposal is under consideration to amend or repeal the blasphemy law.

While speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said certain parties are exploiting the emotions of people in the name of Prophet (PBUH) which are highly uncalled for. He advised Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who has been sentenced to death by a court on charges of blasphemy, to approach the higher court to prove her innocence in the case.

Although the government has already announced that it has no plan to amend the controversial blasphemy law, the JUI-F and other religious parties are still carrying out street agitation, citing a government conspiracy to repeal the blasphemy law.

Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said his party is not satisfied with the statements given by the ministers.

He says such a statement should come from the prime minister or the president. The JUI-F leader also insists that the President can not pardon Aasia.

The JUI-F has announced a nationwide shutter-down strike on Friday and most business centres in major cities of Pakistan will remain closed.