The murder of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer by his own guard has prompted an ever growing witch-hunt, driven by religious groups but controlled by no one. The threat of this uncontested vigilantism posing as Islamic empowerment should be taken as seriously as the Taliban.
There was a moment last weekend that juxtaposed beautifully with the latest crisis faced by Pakistan. As hundreds of thousands – Islamists and Marxists, centrists and otherwise apolitical working men and women – marched for democratic regime change in Egypt, 40,000 mostly men marched in Pakistan's heartland city of Lahore to protest against changes to the country's controversial blasphemy law regime. Protesters in Lahore threatened to cause greater anarchy if the blasphemy laws were changed – threats reminiscent of the Pakistan Taliban.
It is important to note that, as an instrument for protecting the honour of Islam, Pakistan's blasphemy laws have been an abject failure. As rights groups point out, the laws are vaguely defined and do not require accusers to prove criminal intent. Police rarely investigate before arresting alleged blasphemers. Taseer's murderer may say he killed him for committing blasphemy, but there is no evidence he ever did anything of the sort. Taseer's only crime was to highlight the severe failings of the blasphemy laws, a point lost on many who endorsed his murder.
"If a campaign were to be carried out on all the electronic media explaining exactly what the blasphemy laws are, the fact that vigilantes have murdered other people due to political, economic or other rivalries and motives, people would not favour it," says veteran journalist and human rights campaigner Beena Sarwar.
Since the current laws made defiling the Qur'an and defaming the prophet crimes punishable respectively by life imprisonment and death in 1986, anywhere between 300 and 3,000 people have been accused of blasphemy. Of these, roughly 50% belong to religious minorities, a group that constitutes only 3% of Pakistan's 180 million population.
But the blasphemy laws do not just target religious minorities and the poor. The slain Taseer, a wealthy businessman and key ally of President Asif Zardari is testament to that. But even Muslims are not safe from the witch-hunt. During a visit to a village in the Punjab late last year, I was told that local Sufi Muslims had charged "a young Wahhabi" with blasphemy for arguing that Prophet Muhammad was a human being and that prayers should not be directed to him or venerated saints but only Allah.
Last Saturday a magistrate remanded a 17-year-old boy on charges of blasphemy after he allegedly wrote insulting comments about the Prophet during an exam more than eight months ago. Most disturbing, the charges were brought by the intermediate board of education in Karachi. The board noted that the boy confessed to the "unpardonable sin" and blamed it on frustration over inability to answer an exam question and the influence of a discussion about Islam he had with some cousins from Norway.
In a society where the law and order system is already fragile and amenable to vigilantism, the blasphemy law has opened up a Pandora's box of opportunities for people to take the law into their own hands, or force fearful police and courts to provide a rubber stamp to their vendettas. None of Pakistan's major politicians or its powerful army chief, not traditionally averse to making public statements on matters of national interest, has condemned Taseer's murder or the misuse of the blasphemy laws.
Political parties were glaringly absent from public prayers organised for the slain Taseer over the weekend. In response to a request to attend one of them, Senator Abdul Rahim Khan Mandokhel from Balochistan said, "he [Taseer] met his fate. This is our religion. You have to accept it or leave Pakistan." In an open letter, a broad coalition of citizens called the Citizens for Democracy condemned the remarks and urged the president of the senate to take disciplinary measures against Mandokhel if he did not offer a public apology. Others have called on the courts and police to charge people who have publicly called for victims of the blasphemy laws or advocates for their reform to be murdered.
It is arguable that even more dangerous are those like Mumtaz Qadri, Taseer's murderer, who act out of a genuine belief that, armed just with God's command, any citizen has the right to commit murder based on rumour and slander.
On Monday, Pakistan's prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani reiterated his government's refusal to amend the blasphemy laws, noting proudly that it was his predecessor Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who "introduced this law in Pakistan". True, Gilani's government is besieged and in no position to pick a losing battle. But if more Pakistanis do not wage a war for sanity all of us will lose.
Comments in chronological order (Total 134 comments)
3 February 2011 6:50PM
Well he did say jehova.
3 February 2011 6:56PM
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3 February 2011 6:57PM
I noticed Jemima Khan has found time to support Julian Assange but hasnt said a word about Asia Bibi sitting on death row. I suppose when you are worth £300 million you can pick and chose exactly what kind of human rights campaigner you want to be.
Pakistans blasphemy law scares me (theres something very Kafka about the offending phrase never being repeating in court) as does the growing extremism in Pakistan. And very few speaking out against it.
Excellent article.
3 February 2011 7:01PM
Blasphemy is irreverence toward believed holy personages, religious artifacts, customs, and beliefs. Yet, if the Pakistanis and other muslims are correct, then Imams and other religious leaders can decide what is blasphemy.
Is this right? Because I would like to say that as an Omiscient, Omniprescent and Omnipowerful being God should be able to punish blasphemers personally. And if the muslims are taking this perogative away from God then it is the muslims who are blaspheming in the worst possible way. Simply because they are presuming to be wiser and more knowledgable than God. Which is blasphemy, pure and simple. Isn't it.
3 February 2011 7:02PM
Yes excellent article Mustafa thanks
Inayat has done an effective hatchet job on the blasphemy laws in his blog - among 'the most unjust' in the world.
Can we have Inayat back on Cif to back about this please?
3 February 2011 7:03PM
Or maybe blasphemy is just a way to justify killing your opponents in the name of God, the all merciful.
3 February 2011 7:04PM
By the way Mr Qadri my best wishes to you.
3 February 2011 7:05PM
idiots
3 February 2011 7:06PM
Religious activists throw rose petals at Mumtaz Qadri, the bodyguard who shot Salmaan Taseer over his opposition to Pakistan's blasphemy laws.
Ten minutes later! Yawn! How boring - okay lads, get the stones!
3 February 2011 7:07PM
All organised religion is fascism.
3 February 2011 7:11PM
Good article, But for me all such articles suffer from a kind of "explanation deficit".
What exactly is behind this hysterical, bloodthirsty climate of opinion? It seems to require some anthropological socio-psychological interpretation....mere "religion" doesn't hack it...
3 February 2011 7:11PM
no civilised country can be theocratic and no theocracy can be a civilised country
3 February 2011 7:19PM
This sure puts me off moving to Pakistan
3 February 2011 7:19PM
This obscenity has already spread to the UK. A Conservative Muslim councillor has received death threats after taking up the case of a Christian woman sentenced to death in Pakistan for blasphemy.
Ahmadiyya Muslims in the UK are also being targeted by Muslim hate preachers, and have even been fired from their jobs by employers scared of the extremists.
When will the effete liberal establishment get up off its multicultural needs, and have the balls to admit we have a problem with endemic intolerance in one particular community in this country?
3 February 2011 7:24PM
Her name is Asia Bibi.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Bibi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Bibi
In case you were interested. (I suspect you're more interested in slating UK Muslims than actually campaigning for her release.)
3 February 2011 7:24PM
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-Asia-Bibi/148011838577827
3 February 2011 7:27PM
When will the left finally understand that political islam is a TOTALITARIAN system of thought and behaviour control , hostile to pluralism and every liberal principle. The almost equally totalitarian, but less practised, system of political correctness, INSISTS that Islam is protected from legitimate criticism, falling for the lie that moslems are victims of fantasy right-wing bigotry.
In reality moslems are victims of Islam, which DOES NOT ALLOW THEM TO CONVERT TO OTHER FAITHS.
And this is the system which the liberal/left defend as the call for sharia law inthe UK advances!
3 February 2011 7:29PM
Another one for the social scientists!
3 February 2011 7:29PM
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3 February 2011 7:34PM
That word 'honour' again. I'm really not sure that some of these deranged nutters quite understand the meaning of the word!
3 February 2011 7:35PM
I was told that local Sufi Muslims had charged "a young Wahhabi" with blasphemy for arguing that Prophet Muhammad was a human being and that prayers should not be directed to him or venerated saints but only Allah.
========================================
The only group that shud be charged with blashpemeny are sufis, their nonsense dancing and singing is not any different to those of the pre islamic era, why shud this man be charged for preaching the truth,
3 February 2011 7:36PM
When will the left finally understand that political islam is a TOTALITARIAN system of thought and behaviour control ,
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan is not a islamic state despite it having many islamic values,
hostile to pluralism and every liberal principle. The almost equally totalitarian, but less practised, system of political correctness, INSISTS that Islam is protected from legitimate criticism, falling for the lie that moslems are victims of fantasy right-wing bigotry.
==================================================
Nonsense and more nonsense
================
In reality moslems are victims of Islam, which DOES NOT ALLOW THEM TO CONVERT TO OTHER FAITHS.
''Muslims'' can leave other faiths but i guess you have been watching fox news
3 February 2011 7:39PM
Such laws are insane.
I bought a Koran from a bookshop in this country by post. It arrived soaked through with water. They were apologetic, and I got a replacement in good condition.
Would life imprisonment be a just response to this?
Every religion has its own claims for uniqueness - "I am the way, the truth and the life. No-one gets to God but through me" comes to mind - that slagging off the other prophets is going to be a real issue in the course of things. Just how immature are people that they would kill for this?
"Certifiable" - well named ? - said:
"All organised religion is fascism."
That's a daft slogan. Most religious people just get on with other people, and it's their normality that means they get overlooked all of the time. The crazy types, which every religious has, are a colourful but irrelevant minority. Many are new converts and have all of the zeal of a new convert. They quieten down after a while.
3 February 2011 7:40PM
As an indicator on the spectrum of human development is seems to put pakistan about where we were when burning witches was fashionable.
3 February 2011 7:41PM
Wow I'm surprised the Guardian would choose this story when they can have a go at the Americans for wanting Pakistan to release Raymond Allen Davis the man who shot two pakistanis and is waiting to be released under diplomatic immunity. A third pakistani was crushed under a car that came to save Raymond, he claims he was acting in self defence.
The Government of Pakistan has said that it is not going to change the blasphemy laws so what is the big deal?
3 February 2011 7:41PM
No that would be "moderate extremist" there are plenty of moderate Muslims and you know it.
You're talking about 170 million people. try to think it out before you say something so hateful.
3 February 2011 7:42PM
Taliban: Brother, how do you spell Mississippi?
Citizen: Oh! I bet even Allah can't spell that!
Taliban: Blasphemy! Stone him, stone him!
3 February 2011 7:47PM
God does not need protection.
Belief and honour are from our hearts, not words.
3 February 2011 7:47PM
"But if more Pakistanis do not wage a war for sanity all of us will lose."
Taliban or al Qaeda or Wahabbi Or Sufi, Islamic extremism is the issue and as long as you are killing people for religious beliefs you are extremist.
3 February 2011 7:54PM
Lord justice Qadri,
Do you know that Britain has got blasphemy laws!, They only apply to the Church of England, not to any other religion..
You condemn the feelings of a whole tranche of people across the world without living their ideas.
No way of thought, established by a human society exists without having proven its usefulness over time. Any such thinking will also naturally adjust to suit the changing needs of said society, this adjustment being a natural growth from within.
Can yoy explain the batting of Abdul Rakack?
Well then, can I suggest you don't stand here, in Britain I presume, waving a burning flag of superiority at the people of Pakistan from the shores of a country that has just took part in the killing of a million Iraqis and blithely think they have any significant clue about the workings of thehuman condition.
You might be better off, and better placed, recognising and writing about the gross indignities to which the people of Britain are made subject.
The blasphemy laws of Pakistan are essential to that country's way of life, because the people approve or them. Can I suggest you have faith in your fellow humans and quit this bandwagon heading for nowhere.
3 February 2011 7:55PM
Taliban: Brother, how do you spell Mississippi?
Citizen: Oh! I bet even Allah can't spell that!
Taliban: Blasphemy! Stone him, stone him!
========================
You fail to understand that this isnt an taliban law but a pakistani one
3 February 2011 7:55PM
cardigansinbound
There's probably little we can do to change attitudes in Pakistan. We can however expose the naked intolerance in our own back yard. If you think that's 'slating UK Muslims', I'm not going to lose any sleep over it..
3 February 2011 7:55PM
cardigansinbound
3 February 2011 7:41PM
.
" these people " surely the support for the death penalty for speaking the truth about the man Mohammed in Pakistan is the overwhelming majority ?
.
A moderate Muslim would be one who favoured no kind of penalty for speaking the truth about the man Mohammed.
.
IS THERE ONE ANYWHERE ?
3 February 2011 7:56PM
Cardigan
.
I am honestly keen to hear your opinion on this ?
3 February 2011 8:05PM
That is bad news.
I never said the invasion of Afghanistan would be a stroll, but the effects are visible now beyond Afghanistan.
Once introduced, these draconian laws are capable to hurt thousands of people.
But they are not easy to repel in the climate of extremism provoked by the US war on terror.
I suspect that a prompt withdrawal from Afghanistan would not reverse these laws, but can certainly lessen the support for the Pakistani Taliban-- who are much more dangerous than their Afghan equivalents.
A Taliban regime in Kabul or a sort of coalition government would be the best solution to halt Pakistan's descent into madness.
3 February 2011 8:05PM
Look now you've got me quoting myself. i'll be talking about myself in the third person next.
3 February 2011 8:07PM
A moderate Muslim would be one who favoured no kind of penalty for speaking the truth about the man Mohammed.
==================================
Prophet mohammed went through thousands of abuse and tyranny from rival tribes, this one word thing is nothing compared to what prophet mohammed went through in his life time
There was a story of an old women, whom prophet mohammed encourtered to help, she starting calling him a magician, devil worshipper, through out the whole journey however she did not know who the prophet mohammed was, but prophet mohammed could have killed her or slapped her but he didnt, when he got the her home he told her who she was and she said was surpised, and converted to islam
This is a consitional law, muslims have no problem critisicing the prophet mohammed but let it be constructive criticism, forget about these nutcases say, they have no voice in islam despite them getting the shed light!
3 February 2011 8:07PM
thats the spirit!!!!
3 February 2011 8:09PM
richardoxford
3 February 2011 7:55PM
Yes. Many millions of them. My friend Mirambek and his friends at the Central Mosque in Almaty are just 30 odd that come to my mind immediately.
I fear your extremist slip is showing, my dear.
3 February 2011 8:11PM
Pakistan is a hopeless society, we can only try and help for so long before we realise it's a game of diminishing returns. We should wash our hands of this region that is synonymous with barbarism.
3 February 2011 8:12PM
http://citizensfordemocracy.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/open-letter-to-chairman-senate-protest-justification-of-murder/
IN case you missed the link when you carefully read the article and pressed your IH8ALLMUSLIMS button.
3 February 2011 8:29PM
Well she had him sussed out in no time didn't she!
3 February 2011 8:29PM
That's a curious bit of logic.
Once, a long time ago, the "people" of my country approved of slavery.
By your reasoning, they were perfectly justified.
You don't really believe what you wrote, do you?
3 February 2011 8:33PM
Eventually those intelligent and educated people capable of leaving Paksitan will do so and the country will drift into a morass of poverty of its own making.
Of course at some stage I expect them to use the nuclear bomb against those apostate Hindus next door.
3 February 2011 8:35PM
Pakistan was made in the name of Islam and was primarily for Muslims. Its Muslim population constitutes about 98% of its total population. The country was created so that the Muslims of this country would not encounter hate for their holy book or their holy prophet pbuh. The people of Pakistan endorse blasphemy laws.
However the blasphemy laws were put in place by the British Raj and Pakistan inherited them on its birth. The punishment at that time was left at the discretion of the courts. The blasphemy laws in their present form where the punishment is life imprisonment or death were endorsed in Zia ul Haq's era.
Neither the Quran nor the tradition supports any punishment for blasphemy and it is purely a man made law. However such laws once in place cannot be changed due to the intense sensitivities involved. What can change is the application and administration of the law so that there is no injustice involved.
So far the Pakistan high court has never endorsed a death penalty for blasphemy. Extremists have how ever taken the law in their own hands like in Qadri's case. This is highly objectionable and the law and order situation in Pakistan must improve to stamp down such incidents.
3 February 2011 8:41PM
No.
this from the last paragraph of the article.
3 February 2011 8:47PM
My heart goes out to the people of Pakistan who suffer poverty, earthquake,drought, flooding, extremists, corruption ,indoctrination and violence (thousands slaughtered each year ) beyond our contemplation,and hopefully forever beyond our experience.The developing situation In Pakistan is potentially far scarier than Egypt and Tunisia and all those who make trite comments on this article should do a lot more study before they shoot off.
3 February 2011 8:47PM
What a wonderful show of support. Its obvious just how intelligent and educated you are.
3 February 2011 8:55PM
cardigansinbound
3 February 2011 8:41PM
I believ you may be mistaken, cardigan. A quotation from elsewhere may help.
in 1927 during the colonial era the British rulers made it a criminal offence to "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religious belief"
It wasn't until Zia-ul-Haq came on the scene that things changed, especially in 1986 with the introduction of the possibility of a death sentence for blasphemy.
3 February 2011 9:05PM
Blasphemy - the easiest way to stop people pointing out that much of what passes as religion is nonsense.