Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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I hope she succeeds! These kind of dark laws give bad name to the country and Islam.

http://www.dawn.com/2010/11/30/sherry-submits-bill-for-amending-blasphemy-laws-2.html
](http://www.dawn.com/author/newspaper/)

By Amir Wasim

http://www.dawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/sherry-isb-afp-543.jpg

Former information minister and Pakistan People’s Party MNA Sherry Rehman had submitted a private member’s bill as she believed that blasphemy laws as set out in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) found their roots in colonial laws. – AFP Photo

**ISLAMABAD: Amid announcements by the religious forces in the country to resist any move to change the blasphemy laws, former information minister and Pakistan People’s Party MNA Sherry Rehman has submitted a bill to the National Assembly Secretariat seeking an end to the death penalty under the existing blasphemy laws. **
Talking to Dawn here on Monday, Ms Rehman said that she had submitted a private member’s bill as she believed that blasphemy laws as set out in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) found their roots in colonial laws and had in their present form become a source of victimisation and persecution of the minorities in the country.

The amendments to the Blasphemy Act, she said, were intended to ensure that all citizens of Pakistan had an equal right to constitutional protection and that miscarriages of justice in the name of blasphemy were avoided at all costs.
“The bill amends both the PPC and the Code of Criminal Procedure, the two main sources of criminal law. The aim is to amend the codes to ensure protection of Pakistan’s minorities and vulnerable citizens, who routinely face judgments and verdicts in the lower courts where mob pressure is often mobilised to obtain a conviction,” she said.

According to Ms Rehman, the definition of the term “blasphemy” is currently vague, yet it carries a mandatory death sentence. Also, she said, there were serious problems with the mechanisms to implement the law. She said her proposed bill would rationalise the punishments prescribed for offences relating to religion provided under Sections 295 and 298 of the PPC.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

This is a conspiracy of RAW, MOSSAD, CIA, enemies of Islam, enemies of Pakistan, Bugs Bunny and Rambo.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

to OP....you could've made the thread without the photo of the 'churail'....

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

Chalo jee

Eak aur Drama shoroo, ahead of RGST... now everyone will forget about RGST and its implementation...

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

I don't know which was a conspiracy against Pakistan, This law or the new amendment.
The Islamic laws never introduced on facts or grounds.
Only reason was there to make people fool.
Like Qasas and Wait laws.
A tool always used against poor.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

Good idea but it has no hope of passing. Every tom, dick and harry gets his knickers in a twist when religion is mentioned for however lame a cause. So even those who haven't performed namaz their whole life will join thugish mullahs to protect islam.

Out of the whole muslim world, pakistan is the only place where islam is threatened. Only place which defines who is and isn't a muslim. Only place where there is this degree of bitterness with those who might have a different point of view. Yet we wonder why its going to the dogs.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

But she was fired by PPP leadership for her policy of free media. But hey, you are blind in hatred for one party it does not matter if any of its key person do something good for the people.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

step taken in right direction but I dont think it will pass. mullah partys will agitate.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

There is not such a Mullah power in Pakistan the Islamic Card used by all past and present Generals,Politicians and era khera nathu phera// Chaha Ghalib said well indeed.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

as far as i know, not a single non-muslim has ever been executed under this law in Pakistan (correct me if i'm wrong). In my view, correct step would be to do the inquiry properly for at least few cases, and do "EXECUTE" the ones truly found guilty, to send a strong message to all those who tend to have (and express) their hatred...

2ndly, make sure that the amendment is to stop people from "misusing" it, rather than amending the law to get rid of the death penalty, which has been proved by learned scholars time and again, that its in-line with shariya... and anyway, the west is already pushing zardari very hard to end all kinds of capital punishments, which are already on hold for long time...

and as of this specific case of that lady asia bb, she first openly accepted and owned the charge and then denied only when our so called secular and anti-islamic politicians, media and other "elite" gave her a hint... who made a mess out of this case which could have been easily dealt with by further judicial inquiries and investigations, they made it a political stunt (who knows to get rid of other serious issues at hand) and an opportunity to defame islam, which they know their masters love the most.

i know i'm gonna get called "lunatic", "extremist", "taliban" etc for this... ok let them all come my way... i would rather be honest and speak my heart out than try to look like "civilized"

start ranting plz

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

This thread should stay alive! I support Sherry on this bill although I never expected any PPP clan to ditch their egos and act sincere for a cause ! :jhanda:

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

[QUOTE]
as far as i know, not a single non-muslim has ever been executed under this law in Pakistan (correct me if i'm wrong).
[/QUOTE]

for your info,this law is has been used as a protective tool for criminals who want to kill others and get rid of law by accusing the murdered one as voilating this law.

This has happened many times in pakistan history against minorirties (minorities means those sects which are short in number wether muslim or non-muslim) like shias,ahmadies, christians.

Also this law has been mis-used in personal disputes killings.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

[QUOTE]
This thread should stay alive! I support Sherry on this bill although I never expected any PPP clan to ditch their egos and act sincere for a cause !
[/QUOTE]

I support the same idea.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

I dont support a change of the law.

I recognise it should be amended so that silly cases need not be taken up... but i do not favour scrapping the law althogether becuase there will be a lot of blood shed.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

I also support Sherry's effort. Islam is the religion of forgiveness and peace.

If that old women who used to throw trash on Muhammad (SAW) was allowed to live by Muhammad (SAW) by himself and his Sahabas (RA), we are not better Asiq-e-rasool than Sahabas.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

at least she has dared to take on against mullas, whatever she is ,
at least support her if you have some old score to settle with her . the opposition of such inhuman man made law is more important .

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

Whether the bill is passed by the parliament or not, this is surely a step in the right direction. The blasphemy law should be done away with as it is open to exploitation with potentially serious consequences for the victim

Sherry deserves credit for atleast taking the initiative. I don't like Zardari (or NS or AH) but I will always support the good policies of (and good people within) PPP and other parties

@ Aceones
Forgiveness is also in line with shariah. Why do some people always have to follow the most extreme line of thinking when our religion also teaches us tolerance, kindness and forgiveness?

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

yes of course, forgiveness is part of shariah, but do forgive when its due, and do punish when its due. cutting out this law or the punishment all together means "unconditional forgiveness" at all times.

and i wonder why we ignore the fact that for religious matters we need to ask ulama for guidance, not start jumping and deciding ourselves, just like for financial matters we ask experts of that field, for medical matters we ask the best doctor we can find... and by ulama means real ulama of all the fiqh, not the people like ghamdi lolz

what needs to be done is, in addition to the punishment to the one who is guilty of blasphemy (of course if proved), there should also be a punishment for the one who blamed someone of it, and could not prove, or s/he made a fake case on personal or any other reasons. and for once actually enforce the law to the fullest with fair and complete probing into it. take it to the highest level of court if only a "divisional court" has yet announced verdict.

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Re: Sherry submits bill for amending blasphemy laws

Afterall mercy and vengence are both Allah's perogatives and man can deal out both in equal measure.

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http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/16/campaign-launched-to-protect-blasphemy-law.html

ISLAMABAD: A number of political and religious parties and groups announced on Wednesday that a campaign to protect the blasphemy law would be launched and gave a call for countrywide protest demonstrations on Dec 24 and a shutter-down strike on Dec 31. They also resolved to hold a public meeting in Karachi on Jan 9.

The decision was announced by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at a news conference on the conclusion of the daylong Tahaffuz-i-Nabuwat Conference which was attended by top leadership of Jamaat-i-Islami, PML-Q and Jamaatud Dawa and representatives of Wafaqul Madaris and many other smaller religious organisations and groups.

Maulana Fazl said that all religious parties were united on the issue. He vowed to resist any move by the government to make changes in the existing blasphemy law.

The issue came to the light when PPP’s MNA Sherry Rehman submitted a private member bill to the National Assembly Secretariat last month, seeking some changes in the blasphemy law with an aim to avoid the misuse of the law.

The JUI-F chief, who presided over the conference, said all the mosques in the country would organise protest demonstrations on Dec 24 after Friday prayers. He said a big public meeting and protest demonstration would be held in Karachi on Jan 9, which would be attended by all central leaders of religious parties.

He said an action plan would also be unveiled at the meeting.

He announced that former MNA Dr Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair had been made chairman of Tehrik-i-Namoos-i-Risalat committee with an aim to organise the movement at grassroots level.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman made an appeal to traders’ organisations and associations of small and big markets to extend their support to the movement and make the shutter-down strike a success. He said that their protest would be so forceful that no one would dare to think about changing the blasphemy law.

Earlier, during the conference, PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain declared that his party would oppose every move to change the blasphemy law in the Parliament.

JI chief Munawar Hassan said it was wrong to say that the blasphemy law had affected only minorities in the country.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed suggested that the present movement should at the later stage be converted into a movement for the enforcement of Islamic system in the country.

The participants appealed to the media to play an effective role in making the movement a success for the cause of Islam and to show its love for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

PML-N’s MNA from Islamabad Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also attended the conference in which some of the speakers, including Maulana Attaul Momin Shah Bukhari of Majlis Ahrarul Islam lashed out at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for keeping a silence on the issue.

Dr Tariq Fazal gave an explanation that Senator Raja Zafarul Haq had been assigned the task to represent the party in the conference but he had to go to his native town after receiving news about the death of a relative.

The conference was also attended by Hafiz Saeed of Jamaatud Dawa, Maulana Abdul Majeed Ludhianvi of Majlis Tahaffuz-i-Khatam Nabuwat, Qari Hanif Jalandhary and Dr Abdul Razzaq Sikandar of Wafaqul Madaris, Hafiz Aakif Saeed of Tanzim Islami, Maulana Abdul Aziz of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith and Allama Sajid Naqvi.