Christian body welcomes Gilani's pledge to review blasphemy laws

A Protestant body in Pakistan welcomed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's pledge to review blasphemy laws that has been used since decades to subdue Christians in the predominantly Muslim nation.

"It is a surprising and cheerful news. No political party or leader has made such a statement from years," Suhail Akhtar of National Council of Churches in Pakistan, told Christian Today.

Prime Minister Gilani promised Christians that the government would review blasphemy laws that balk religious harmony in that country. The statement was made in the backdrop of brutal violence on a Christian neighbourhood in Gojra city where eight Christians were killed and dozen homes burned.

"A committee comprising constitutional experts, the minister for minorities, the religious affairs minister and other representatives will discuss the laws detrimental to religious harmony to sort out how they could be improved," Gilani told a gathering in Gojra, according to the Associated Press.

Several occasions, on the pretext of blasphemy, Christians have been attacked, pastors and priests arrested, women raped and homes burnt. Christian leaders - both Catholic and Protestant - demanded the repeal of the Blasphemy law in the August 4 rally held in Lahore.

According to Pakistan Penal code, Section 295-C, "Use of derogatory remarks, etc; in respect of the Holy Prophet. Whoever by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine."

But Christians feel they are being roped in false cases under blasphemy charges. The law is being misused by fundamental Muslims to persecute and reduce the minorities, they say.

Asma Jahangir, chairwoman of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, has also welcomed Gilani's statement.

"It is good to hear Prime Minister Gilani saying this ... In my view the blasphemy law should be repealed forthwith," she was quoted by the AP saying.

Pakistan is a federal republic and has a legal system based both on English common law and on Islamic Shari'ah law.