Pakistani protestors decry papal opposition to blasphemy law
January 11, 2011
Islamic demonstrators rallied in Lahore and Karachi, Pakistan, to denounce the call by Pope Benedict XVI for a change in the country's blasphemy laws.
A spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami, a group that organized the protest in Lahore, said that the Pope's suggestion-- made in his January 10 address to the Vatican diplomatic corps-- was "insane." He made the remarkable claim that elimination of the blasphemy law would endanger the Christian minority. (Christians have steadily complained that the law is exploited to intimidate Christians.)
In Karachi, an Islamic speaker said that the entire country applauds the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Punjab, who dared to call for changes in the blasphemy law.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
