A defeat for human rights. "Pakistan refuses to modify Islamic 'blasphemy' laws," by Aftab Alexander Mughal for Spero News, December 30:
The government of Pakistan has backed out its commitment to review the country's controversial Islamic blasphemy laws. On Dec. 30, 2010, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah requested that merchants and those in favor of the blasphemy laws to call off their nation-wide shutdown of businesses scheduled for Dec. 31 because the government has no intention to change or repeal these laws. The government's move is to appease Islamic religious groups who have announce that they will shutter their businesses on New Years Eve to protest against any move to amend the laws. Just a week ago, the Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti declared that despite various pressures the government will definitely review the laws.Islamic laws against the "blasphemy" of Islam, Muhammad, the Koran, and Islamic personalities were introduced by late Genral Zia-ul-Haq in 1980s and have widely been misused against Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus and liberal Muslims. Christians and human rights groups have been demanding for the total repeal of the laws.
Yesterday, the government in the National Assembly (lower house of the parliament) categorically denied any move to amend or repeal the blasphemy laws. "The government considers that its prime responsibility is to protect this law and it will never support any private members' bill even from the treasury benches in this regard," said the federal minister in a policy statement.
Maulana Attaur Rehman, the younger brother of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a pro-Taliban party, said in the National Assembly the blasphemy laws were a sensitive issue for Muslims and every Muslim has concerns on any effort that made to repeal this law....
They all clearly misunderstand their expansive, generous, peaceful, tolerant religion.
Why don't the UK government revive the British Blasphemy law,and convict anyone who say 'the bible is corrupted or altered,or that Jesus is not the Son of God? The punishment should be death by hanging .
Pakistani govt bows to Islamic groups' threats, backs out of commitment to review Islamic blasphemy laws
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Is *anyone* here surprised by this?
More:
On Dec. 30, 2010, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah requested that merchants and those in favor of the blasphemy laws to call off their nation-wide shutdown of businesses scheduled for Dec. 31 because the government has no intention to change or repeal these laws.
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It sounds as though Pakistani officials were afraid that such a "nation-wide shutdown" would cripple the country. Must just be "a tiny minority of extremists™". sarc/off
More:
Maulana Attaur Rehman, the younger brother of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a pro-Taliban party, said in the National Assembly the blasphemy laws were a sensitive issue for Muslims and every Muslim has concerns on any effort that made to repeal this law...
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*Every Muslim*, huh? See my comment about "a tiny minority of extremists™" above.
More:
Islamic laws against the "blasphemy" of Islam, Muhammad, the Koran, and Islamic personalities were introduced by late Genral Zia-ul-Haq in 1980s and have widely been misused against Christians, Ahmadis, Hindus and liberal Muslims.
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How, exactly, could such laws *not* be "misused", since such "misuse" is their very purpose? I have *never* seen this explained.
More:
Yesterday, the government in the National Assembly (lower house of the parliament) categorically denied any move to amend or repeal the blasphemy laws. "The government considers that its prime responsibility is to protect this law and it will never support any private members' bill even from the treasury benches in this regard," said the federal minister in a policy statement.
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"The government considers that its prime responsibility is to protect this law..."
In any civilized nation, the government's main responsibility it the protection of *its citizens*. In the Muslim world, the prime responsibility is to "protect Islam" from even the mildest of questioning or the very hint of criticism.
The "prime responsibility" of the government of Pakistan is to protect Islam from its own citizens—including peaceful, middle-aged moms like Bibi Asia...
Islam cannot survive any challenge to the credibility of The Pedophile.
Shades of things to come for any Western nation which refuses to comprehend that Islam is inimical to liberty. Anyone doubting this need only be asked what would happen to freedom if a Western country like The Netherlands or France became majority Muslim. Should such a person respond by maintaining that a Muslim majority in a Western nation is not likely, they would be not only deflecting the question but, without realizing it, answering it as well.
Even the governments of Islamic countries are too intimidated to act against Sharia. I think that that gives us no choice but to finally cut off all aid to Pakistan. It's outrageous that we have given those idiots so much up until now.
There is just no way to effectively oppose the Jihad through Islamic proxies.
Hey jewdog, you don't think we should just politely ask for the money back?
I do.
Why did the Pakistani government cave? The military has guns and the world has seen that those "fearless Muslim warriors" scatter at the first sign of armed resistance.
I agree with jewdog: not one more cent in aid of any kind, not even "humanitarian" to these Islamic tyrannies that persecute Christians and other non-Moslems. Also, cancel any "most favored nation" trade treaties with them.
sean : Islam cannot survive any challenge to the credibility of The Pedophile.
There hasn't been a religion invented that can stand up to the test of logic or reason. The fact that islam is the shakiest of the current crop should further embolden those who are brave enough to stand against it.
Robert Spencer, Hugh Fitzgerald, Ricky Gervais, Pat Connell and many, many more.
Sorry, Pat Condell, but I'm sure he'll forgive me.
Peace!
[quote]I think that that gives us no choice but to finally cut off all aid to Pakistan. It's outrageous that we have given those idiots so much up until now.[/quote]
I second that motion. Not one more cent!
To brush up on Pakistan's Blasphemy Laws, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_law_in_Pakistan
In principle, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has the power to overturn the Blasphemy Laws as being unconstitutional. Will they? We all know the answer to that - of course not.
I agree with jewdog - stop sending aid to Pakistan.
OT: the latest terrorist plot against the "Jyllands-Posten" newspaper in Denmark.
One of the arrested, Munir Awad, is the son-in-law of a very prominent convert and chairwoman of the umbrella organisation "Muslim Council of Sweden", Helena Benaouda, who already in two separate incidents moved heaven and earth (and the Swedish government) in order to get him home from Pakistan and Ethiopia where he had come under terror-related suspicions.
"Death to all who insult islam!" They say, in Pakistan and anywhere else that lunacy holds sway.
How does one insult islam? Dead easy, just tell the truth of it.
Seems a wee bit nutty to me. The truth can get you killed. And genocide of the Armenians never happened in 1915 in Turkey. I just hope the flying pigs wear diapers.
They're threat was to "shut down their businesses?!?" hahahahhahaha Wonder how long THAT will last. Blasphemy-laws reviewers: Hold to the reigns boys! Oh, wait. Dhimmis.