Repeal Anti–minority Legislations, Lahore Bishop Tells Musharraf

Lahore, Pakistan – In an open letter to Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shuakat Aziz, Rev. Lawrence Saldanha, Archbishop of Lahore and president of the Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, has appealed that he hopes that 2005 will be a year of “change in which anti–women and anti–minority legislation is repealed”.

In the note, the Archbishop expressed his appreciation for Pakistan’s dedication to peaceful coexistence and social justice. At the same time, he called on the government to focus on human rights and religious freedom.

Acknowledging the positive fact of the abolition of the electoral system based on religious membership – previously, each religious group elected its own representatives in Parliament – Archbishop Saldanha pointed out that the modification must also be applied in local representative bodies in the provinces.

The Archbishop also said that that Islamabad must deal with some important issues such as an electoral system at the level of local government that is still based on religious affiliation, honor killing of women accused of adultery, and the blasphemy law that imposes life in prison for anyone guilty of insulting the Qu‘ran and the death penalty for anyone insulting the prophet Muhammad, a law too often used to settle private scores.

According to Archbishop Saldanha, these laws are particularly harmful to women – who are legally reduced to the status of minors – and to minorities. Their effect is harmful to the whole of society.

Being "unjust and discriminatory," the Blasphemy law should be abolished, Archbishop Saldanha urged.

The letter was also written on behalf of the bishops' Justice and Peace Commission, which, since long, has tried to defend the rights of minorities, women and marginalized groups.

Archbishop Saldanha ended his letter by assuring President Musharraf of "the active cooperation of the Catholic Church" in the building of a free, democratic and peaceful nation.