More tolerance in Pakistan, as 22 religious organizations have called for the execution of Younis Masih, a 40 year old Christian who was jailed after allegedly making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Muhammad, per Pakistan’s Daily Times:
Difa-e-Islam Mahaz (Front for Islam’s defence), an alliance of 22 Sunni religious organisations, demanded that alleged blasphemer Younis Masih be given the death sentence.
Dozens of Mahaz activists and Kainchi Amer Sidhu residents staged a peaceful demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club on Monday and displayed placards with slogans “˜Hang the blasphemer”, “˜Blasphemer of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) must be hanged immediately” and “˜We are ready to sacrifice everything for the defence and protection of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) dignity”.
Mahaz speakers opposed the recent amendment made in the Criminal Procedural Code of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) that a superintendent of police must investigate the blasphemy case before lodging the first information report. They declared the amendment “anti-Islamic” and demanded the restoration of the original procedure for registering blasphemy cases.
They said that they would continue their struggle till Masih was sentenced to death.
However, so as not to let anyone think that were being anti-Christian, the coalition had the following to say:
“The Mahaz is not against the Christian community but want to punish the culprit. We are also ready to lodge a blasphemy case against any Muslim who commits blasphemy against Christ or his mother Mariam (AS),” said Mahaz speaker Irfan Shah.
Now that’s a relief.