A discriminatory pro-blasphemy law is proposed by the National Parliament of Pakistan
A discriminatory pro-blasphemy law is proposed by the National Parliament of Pakistan
SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS
The constitution of Pakistan and the UN charter guarantee freedom of religious expression. However, for the past four decades, the government of Pakistan has been marginalizing various Islamic and non-Islamic minority groups under the influence of the Deobandi ideology. Through its Blasphemy Act of 1984, amended in 1992, it has imposed the mandatory death penalty for insulting the Prophet. The persecution of the Christian woman Aasia Bibi and Shia Muslim Taimoor Raza are examples under the Blasphemy Act. On 16 January 2023, the national parliament amended the Blasphemy Act, criminalizing ‘insult’ to any of the Companions and wives of the Prophet. The sole purpose of the amendment is to target the Shias of Pakistan who constitute 20 percent of the country’s population. The Deobandi narrative is that the Companions of the Prophet were flawless human beings who never committed any sin or crime. The Shias disagree with the view, claiming that some of the Companions did not treat the family of the Prophet justly after his death.
We call upon The United Nations to prevent Pakistan to prevent from legislating against the charter of The United Nations.