Blasphemy law: CII proposals under scrutiny
Recommendations include amendments and death penalty for misuse of law
ISLAMABAD:
A three-member bench of the Federal Shariat Court, headed by its chief justice, is examining hundreds of recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on various regulations – including the controversial blasphemy law.
The chief justice will decide the next date of hearing of the petition filed by Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani about two years ago when he was a member of parliament.
The petitioner is seeking a directive to the federal and provincial governments by the court to present the CII recommendations before parliament and provincial assemblies which the petitioner said were a constitutional obligation of the government.
Maulana Sheerani, who is now chairperson of the CII, said in his petition that the government was also constitutionally bound to replace all un-Islamic laws. The CII, in its recommendations, had pointed out those laws which were repugnant to the Islamic injunctions.
The CII had also asked the government to reform the controversial blasphemy law to ensure that it was not exploited.
Maulana Sheerani had filed a petition in the FSC much before his appointment as Chairperson of the CII. However, he is still a petitioner in that case which is being heard by the FSC.
To stop the abuse of the blasphemy law the CII has already recommended several amendments, but it is still strongly opposed to repeal of the law. The CII has proposed death penalty for anybody misusing the law. It has also recommended that only the FSC hear blasphemy cases.
Hardline clerics and right-wing parties are opposed to any change in the blasphemy law which rights groups say can be used to settle personal scores.
“The CII recommendations have been pending before parliament for the past three years,” a senior official in the council told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity.
The recommendations were made in 2001 when Dr SM Zaman was heading the CII and two top religious scholars – Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan Maulana Muhammad Rafi Usmani and Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman – were also its members. Religious scholars of all schools of thought and sects were represented on the council.
“The CII’s recommendations remain valid until and unless they are rejected by parliament,” added the official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.
A three-member bench of the Federal Shariat Court, headed by its chief justice, is examining hundreds of recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on various regulations – including the controversial blasphemy law.
The chief justice will decide the next date of hearing of the petition filed by Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani about two years ago when he was a member of parliament.
The petitioner is seeking a directive to the federal and provincial governments by the court to present the CII recommendations before parliament and provincial assemblies which the petitioner said were a constitutional obligation of the government.
Maulana Sheerani, who is now chairperson of the CII, said in his petition that the government was also constitutionally bound to replace all un-Islamic laws. The CII, in its recommendations, had pointed out those laws which were repugnant to the Islamic injunctions.
The CII had also asked the government to reform the controversial blasphemy law to ensure that it was not exploited.
Maulana Sheerani had filed a petition in the FSC much before his appointment as Chairperson of the CII. However, he is still a petitioner in that case which is being heard by the FSC.
To stop the abuse of the blasphemy law the CII has already recommended several amendments, but it is still strongly opposed to repeal of the law. The CII has proposed death penalty for anybody misusing the law. It has also recommended that only the FSC hear blasphemy cases.
Hardline clerics and right-wing parties are opposed to any change in the blasphemy law which rights groups say can be used to settle personal scores.
“The CII recommendations have been pending before parliament for the past three years,” a senior official in the council told The Express Tribune requesting anonymity.
The recommendations were made in 2001 when Dr SM Zaman was heading the CII and two top religious scholars – Mufti-e-Azam Pakistan Maulana Muhammad Rafi Usmani and Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman – were also its members. Religious scholars of all schools of thought and sects were represented on the council.
“The CII’s recommendations remain valid until and unless they are rejected by parliament,” added the official.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2011.