Jan. 12: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has outrightly rejected the call from Pope Benedict XVI to abrogate the blasphemy law. “This can’t happen. We have our own laws and we will act on them,” Mr Gilani said on Wednesday. Pope Benedict XVI on Monday called on Pakistan to scrap the blasphemy law, saying it served “as a pretext for acts of injustice and violence against religious minorities”. “I once more encourage the leaders of that country to take the necessary steps to abrogate that law,” the leader of the world’s one billion Catholics said in a traditional New Year’s address to ambassadors to the Vatican. “The tragic murder of the governor of Punjab shows the urgent need to make progress in this direction,” he said, referring to the killing of Salman Taseer by one of his bodyguards last week over his liberal position on the law. Controversy over the legislation flared both within Pakistan and internationally after Aasia Bibi, a Christian and mother-of-five, was sentenced to death in 2010 for making derogatory remarks about Prophet Mohammed. The Pope has called for Bibi, who is awaiting execution, to be released.
Religious parties across the counrty staged demonstrations on Tuesday and Wednesday to condemn the call from the Pope.
“My message is unambiguous. We will act on our own laws and will do whatever is in our best interest,” Prime Minister Gilani told reporters here on Tuesday evening. Mr Gilani also reiterated his government’s stance that there would be no amendments to the blasphemy law. “This controversy should end as I have repeatedly assured that there will be no amendments to the blasphemy law. The media should show responsibility in this regard,” he added.
Pakistan is among five of 54 Islamic countries that have tough blasphemy laws which carry capital punishment. The other four are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Sudan and Afghanistan.