Pakistani churches to fast and pray against blasphemy law
-15/12/05
Churches in Pakist
Pakistani churches to fast and pray against blasphemy law
-15/12/05
Churches in Pakistan are to observe 20 December 2005 as a “day of fast and prayer” to hasten the repeal of the countryís controversial blasphemy law.
The law often leads to violence against the Christian community and other minorities in the Muslim majority nation, critics and human rights activists say.
“As long as the blasphemy law remains in force, we will continue to suffer,” declared Dr Victor Azariah, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Pakistan, which brings together four major Protestant denominations.
The issue of blasphemy and its use within the legal and political framework of Pakistan was a key issue raised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on a recent goodwill visit.
He called on President Musharraf to review the law. The appeal from the spiritual head of the worldís 77 million Anglicans comes a few days after the violence perpetrated against the Christian community of Sangla Hill.
Dr Williams questioned ìa law whose penalty is so severe and whose practice gives so many loopholes [as] to allow people to indulge in arbitrary violence by appealing to blasphemy.î
In Pakistan the blasphemy law hands down the death penalty for apostasy or for desecrating the Qurían, together with severe penalties for other more minor offences.
[Also on Ekklesia: New call to end Pakistan blasphemy law; Pakistan government apologises for attacks on churches; Response to racial and religious hatred bill (UK); Archbishop of Canterbury to visit quake-hit Pakistan; Pakistan minority leaders condemn arson attacks on churches; Repeal of ‘unjust’ blasphemy law urged]
Pakistani churches to fast and pray against blasphemy law
-15/12/05
Churches in Pakistan are to observe 20 December 2005 as a “day of fast and prayer” to hasten the repeal of the country’s controversial blasphemy law.
The law often leads to violence against the Christian community and other minorities in the Muslim majority nation, critics and human rights activists say.
“As long as the blasphemy law remains in force, we will continue to suffer,” declared Dr Victor Azariah, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Pakistan, which brings together four major Protestant denominations.
The issue of blasphemy and its use within the legal and political framework of Pakistan was a key issue raised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, on a recent goodwill visit.
He called on President Musharraf to review the law. The appeal from the spiritual head of the world’s 77 million Anglicans comes a few days after the violence perpetrated against the Christian community of Sangla Hill.
Dr Williams questioned ‘a law whose penalty is so severe and whose practice gives so many loopholes [as] to allow people to indulge in arbitrary violence by appealing to blasphemy.’
In Pakistan the blasphemy law hands down the death penalty for apostasy or for desecrating the Qur’an, together with severe penalties for other more minor offences.
[Also on Ekklesia: New call to end Pakistan blasphemy law; Pakistan government apologises for attacks on churches; Response to racial and religious hatred bill (UK); Archbishop of Canterbury to visit quake-hit Pakistan; Pakistan minority leaders condemn arson attacks on churches; Repeal of ‘unjust’ blasphemy law urged]