Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Agenzia Fides) – With a sharp change of course, Pakistan has stopped its campaign at the United Nations concerning the contempt of religion, accepting the need to reconcile freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
As sources told Fides, the UN Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva yesterday, approved a resolution which received broad support from countries and accredited NGOs, including those of Christian inspiration, as it was deemed compliant with the international standards of human rights. The resolution, presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC), was very different from those presented in the past by Pakistan and other Muslim states who wanted to internationally promote a “campaign against blasphemy”, a very well known issue in Pakistan for its abuse and misinterpretation. In the past, with the goal of “combating defamation of religions”, they wanted to prohibit criticism of all religions (Islam above all). The real risk was that the concept of 'blasphemy' has been increasingly used for political purposes (to ban any secular discussions), or to strike innocent people.
The new resolution adopted by the Council for Human Rights, rather, respects the traditional system of human rights and calls for “a global dialogue to promote a culture of tolerance and peace at all levels, based on respect for human rights and on the diversity of faiths and religions,” noting the complementarity between freedom of religion and freedom of expression.
According to Fides sources, generating this change of course were the recent murders of Salmaan Taseer and Shahbaz Bhatti, two high-profile political leaders, who were killed for being opposed to the blasphemy laws in force in Pakistan.
Fides sources in the Pakistani Christian community have welcomed this change, hoping that “the resolution by the UN Council will serve as a stimulus for the Pakistani government, to undertake an in-depth review of the issue of blasphemy also internally.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/3/2011)
