Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Lahore (Fides Service) - The list has 647 names: these are the names of people arrested and detained on charges of blasphemy in Pakistan since the blasphemy law was introduced in 1988. Besides these people at least 20 others accused of blasphemy were assassinated. This information is contained in a report issued by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Pakistan.
Article 295/c Pakistan’s penal code, known as the “blasphemy law”, affirms that “anyone who insults the holy name of the Prophet in word, writing or deed or visible representations, direct or indirect insinuations” will be punished. The maximum sentence is life imprisonment.
However the law is also used against political adversaries or settle arguments, by fundamentalist Muslims or for personal revenge: in numerous cases Christians have been the victims. The Catholic Church in Pakistan has said that the law is “unjust and discriminatory” calling for its abrogation. At present there are 80 Christians in prison on charges of blasphemy, a high number considering that Christians are a very small minority.
The Bishops’ Justice and Peace Commission has re-launched its anti-blasphemy law campaign on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of Bishop John Joseph of Faisalabad, a fierce adversary of the law.
According to the Commission’s report, of the 647 people charged with blasphemy 50% were Muslims, 37% Ahmadis, 13% Christian and 1% Hindu. Peter Jacob, chairman of the Commission, said the official cases were 647, but it is thought that the number is much higher. The report says that 102 blasphemy accused have been acquitted since 1988, mostly by the superior courts. These cases, the courts observed, were lodged to exploit the accused for religious, financial or personal reasons. Of the 20 people murdered, 14 were Muslims and six were Christians. A retired Lahor High Court justice Arif Hussain Bhatto was also murdered, allegedly by a religious organisation because he defended a person accused of blasphemy .
Pakistan has a population of 155 million 97% Muslim, Christians are 2.5% including 1.2 million Catholics.
(PA)(Agenzia Fides 12/5/2005 righe 28 parole 281)
