75pc blasphemy cases are against Muslims
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD, Jan 20: It has been reliably learnt that about 75 per cent of the cases, registered under the country’s blasphemy law, are against its Muslim residents.
It has also been learnt that the percentage of acquittals and cases withdrawn under this category is also quite high. Only one person was sentenced to death last year.
These figures collected by the interior ministry, from the provincial headquarters, showed a situation which is completely opposite to the propaganda unleashed by Western media organs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) against Pakistan, that the blasphemy law is directed against the country’s minorities.
Details of cases collected from all over Pakistan except Sindh, which has yet to provide the required information to the interior ministry, reveal that a total of 122 blasphemy cases are registered or pending in the courts.
Ninety of these 122 cases have been registered against Muslim residents. Only 32 cases are registered or pending against the minorities including Qadianis and Christians. Interestingly enough, no blasphemy case has so far been registered in Balochistan.
Gen Pervez Musharraf had announced last year to amend the procedure for the registration of blasphemy cases so that it is not misused. However, he could not proceed accordingly because of protests launched by religious groups in the country.
http://www.dawn.com/2001/01/21/nat10.htm