WCC urges Pakistan to repeal blasphemy law

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is calling upon Pakistani government to repeal "blasphemy law" in the country, saying it "has been misused to harass the religious minorities."

In a public statement "The misuse of the Blasphemy Law and the security of religious minorities in Pakistan," made Tuesday by WCC central committee meeting in Geneva said "Pakistan must repeal the blasphemy law".

"WCC urges the government of Pakistan to repeal the section of the Pakistan penal code (295C) which carries a mandatory death penalty for anyone found guilty of blasphemy," the statement said.

"We also call on WCC member churches to request their respective governments to express their concerns on the security of religious minorities in Pakistan," the statement stated.

The WCC central committee considered that the law has become "a major source of victimization and persecution" of religious minorities who are living "in a state of fear and terror". It says it is calling upon the government to "guarantee the rights of all religious minorities in the country".

Since the penal code of the country was amended in 1986, "Christians in particular have become targets of harassments and persecutions", says the statement approved by the WCC central committee during its meeting from August 26 to September 2 in Geneva, Switzerland.

From then on, the attacks against the religious minorities have been exacerbated, and an atmosphere of violence motivated by religious issues exists in various regions in Pakistan, it stated.

According to Pakistan Penal code "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."

WCC statement said the concept of "blasphemy" is vaguely defined in the penal code, anyone can be accused of breaking it. WCC noted that from 1988 to 2005, 647 people have been accused of violating this law, but cases have increased in the last years, it said.

On Aug. 6, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza 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 few days earlier on 29 July, a Christian village of Korian in Punjab province too was attacked; dozens of Christian homes were burnt, two Churches destroyed on false allegation of desecrating Quran, the Holy book of Muslims.

Human Rights organizations observed that charges brought against individuals under the Blasphemy Law are founded solely on the individual's religious convictions. In other cases, the charges are based on malicious accusations "often with the motivation to have people imprisoned to gain advantage in business or land disputes".

In its statement, WCC recalls the words of the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, when the country was created, that "minorities are a sacred trust of Pakistan". The WCC also considers that these discriminatory actions and attacks against religious minorities are in violation of the Constitution of Pakistan (Article 36) that guarantees the legitimate rights of minorities.

Pakistan Christian Congress (PCC) has also intensified its call of repelling the blasphemy law. PCC supported by Pakistan Christian Post (PCP) has given an ultimatum to Pakistani government on blasphemy law; if the law is not repealed by 25 September, Christians led by PCP said they will resort to more peaceful protests and pressurize the government to respond immediately.

The government of Pakistan has not made any public statement though Prime Minister Gilani made promise to review the law.