Re: Another victory for the Namoos preservers
Sure. The person and his family being put through financial distress trying to prove he didnt say something has nothing to do with blasphemy laws. The local head of a national political party getting involved, ensuring that the police case is not about a lesser crime (as originally attempted by the police) but for blasphemy has nothing to do with blasphemy. The subsequent challenge by the same political party of the court’s decision also has nothing to do with blasphemy. The fact that the potential blasphemer’s janaza was refused by local molvi sahab has nothing to do with blasphemy. The fact that his murder is defended before a national audience by the politician has nothing to do with blasphemy.
Read through the profile of the accused/convicted of blasphemy in post 16. Exactly none of them regard the cases against them to be legitimate, everyone has the same defence as the Pindi guy. Either it is a defensive move, or the motivations of the murderers are not pure. The latter possibility does not change the fact that there exists under the blasphemy laws a social pattern that enables murder and victimization. Just as not all honour killings are really about honour, the motivations of the murderers dont really singularly define the issue. This has now become a pattern of abuse whereby
Person A gets accused of blasphemy. Person A gets dragged through court trying to disprove that he said something. Person A is marked socially as an outcast regardless of the court’s decision, and has religious organizations turn against him, and will lose something of the already limited protections citizens have in Pakistan. Person A may get assassinated at some point. Person A’s murderers will be defended by a segment of the population. Person A will comprise of minorities disproportionately.
None of the above assumes that the person killing person A has pure intentions. All of the above has to do with blasphemy laws and social attitudes towards blasphemy.