There are signs that Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy law could be relaxed, according to the Lahore-based president of the Catholic Church’s National Commission of Justice and Peace.
Speaking during a visit to Aid to the Church in Need, Fr Emmanuel Yousaf said that while there was no prospect of the law being abolished, there was increasing discussion in the media about the need to modify it – even by Islamic clerics.
Fr Yousaf, whose Commission for Justice and Peace supports those accused of blasphemy and their families, said: “They would never agree to a complete annulment of the law, but they say that something must be done about its abuses.”
“For many years we have been talking about how the law is being abused.”
Those found guilty under the country’s blasphemy law can face life imprisonment for defacing the Qur’an or death if found guilty of insulting the Islamic Prophet Mohammed.
But since 2001 at least 50 Christians have been killed by mobs following accusations of blasphemy, before their cases reached court.
The priest described the recent case of Rimsha Masih as a “precedent”.
The 14-year-old girl, who is reported to have Down’s Syndrome, was arrested on Thursday 16 August after an angry mob gathered outside her family’s home inIslamabad.
She was accused of burning pages containing verses from the Qur’an.
Police have now arrested Muslim cleric Khalid Jadoon who is suspected of having planted the singed pages incorporating text from the Muslim holy book.
Fr Yousaf said: “I met Rimsha’s parents and I visited the place where the events occurred.
"500 Christian families live in the girl’s neighbourhood. The false accusations of blasphemy are intended to drive them out of there.”
According to the president of Pakistan’s National Commission of Justice and Peace, Imam Jadoon had previously stated that he wanted to “get rid of these people”.
Fr Yousaf added that many of those accused of blasphemy were murdered by enraged mobs.
He said: “Religious minorities are totally vulnerable and unable to defend themselves.
“Many of the accused who belong to religious minorities have already been killed without the chance of a court hearing.”
Fr Yousaf was one of about 100 experts meeting at the World Council of Churches in Geneva (17-19 Sept), who said the legal processes in cases such as Rimsha Masih’s should be reviewed.
The World Council of Churches criticised the abuse of the law and called on the Pakistani Government to review its legal proceedings.
Asiya Nasir, a Christian member of Pakistan’s National Assembly who spoke at the meeting, said: “In the parliament we have been voicing [the] concerns of the Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan.
“We must go back to the vision of our founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who stressed… the rights of all people, regardless of their religion”.
By John Newton and Eva-Maria Kolmann