What Asia Bibi is up against in Pakistan

Asia Bibi, the Christian woman in Pakistan convicted of blasphemy against Muhammad and sentenced to death, has an appeal hearing this week. However, don’t expect the legal profession as an institution to help her or push for human rights. This article in Pakistan’s The Nation, quotes the President of Pakistan’s Supreme Court Bar Association, Asma Jahangir, who urges no change in the blasphemy laws and no help for Asia Bibi.

The Bar committee, also attended by the vice president of the provinces, the secretary and the other office-holders, unanimously carried a resolution to refrain the government from amending the Blasphemy Law and also granting pardon to Asia Bibi, a condemned prisoner on the same charges. The Bar expressed serious concern over Punjab Governor Salman Taseer’s move to get presidential pardon for Asia when her appeal was pending hearing before the court of law.

They said the government functionaries were seeking amendment or a complete repeal of the said law, which it said, was a shameful effort being made under a foreign agenda, which is strongly condemnable.

“In no circumstance, any amendment encouraging or creating any effort to defile the sacred name and personality of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) can be brought upon the statute book.”

The Committee has unanimously warned the government and the members of the Parliament to refrain from implementing any such proposal. “The SCBA and the legal fraternity would never accept any such pardon and amendment and it would be resisted by every possible efforts”, it added.

Gov. Salman Taseer has taken a great risk to call for pardon for Asia. And apparently any lawyer that will defend her will be acting in contradiction to this resolution of Pakistan’s association of lawyers. The slogan on the front page of the website is “The help you need when you need it most.” However, this is a hollow sentiment when it only applies to the MuslimĀ in-group.

UPDATE: A report from the Pakistan Daily Times clarifies the stance of the Bar Association.

SCBA clarifies news report

LAHORE: This is to deny that the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), in its second executive committee meeting held on December 18, unanimously passed any resolution regarding either Section 295C of the Pakistan Penal Code itself or any case related to it.

The facts are that a resolution to that effect was presented by a member of the executive committee, but only a portion of it was passed unanimously, which paid reverence and commitment to honour and respect the name of the holy Prophet (PBUH), while the rest of the resolution regarding 295C, the case of Aasia Bibi and its consequences was deferred with consensus.

The Supreme Court Bar Association regrets the attempt made by one of its executive members to mislead the press and the public. The SCBA is a responsible body and its resolutions will be fully debated before being passed, especially unanimously.

4 thoughts on “What Asia Bibi is up against in Pakistan”

  1. I think ‘Maazi NCO’ should reflect seriously on this appalling situation before pushing for the Bahitler Bill.

  2. They quote Pakistan’s founding lawyer, Jinnah (considered the founder of the country) as saying the following:

    The constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of Muslim culture and for the protection and promotion of Muslim education, language, religion, personal laws and Muslim charitable institution and for their due share in the grants-in-aid given by the state and by local self-governing bodies.

    Which is strange because Jinnah argued for a rather secular Pakistan, one in which religion would fade into the background politically and whether one was Muslim or Hindu, one would just be Pakistani.

    Freedom of Speech from the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

    19. Freedom of speech, etc.

    Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, [commission of] or incitement to an offence.

    While religious freedom is well written into the Constitution, one later finds a Constitutional policy towards Islam:

    31.Islamic way of life.

    (1) Steps shall be taken to enable the Muslims of Pakistan, individually and collectively, to order their lives in accordance with the fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam and to provide facilities whereby they may be enabled to understand the meaning of life according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

    (2) The state shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan, :

    (a) to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language and to secure correct and exact printing and publishing of the Holy Quran;

    (b) to promote unity and the observance of the Islamic moral standards; and

    (c ) to secure the proper organisation of zakat, [ushr,] auqaf and mosques.

    Then there are the “Islamic Provisions,” which are not supposed to apply to non-Muslims. Islam attempts to be tolerant of other faiths but in the end it seems to have a problem concerning true religious freedoms. And I think one must remember that Pakistan as a modern republic was forged in the conflict that occurred in 1946 during the split with Hindu India.

  3. They quote Pakistan’s founding lawyer, Jinnah (considered the founder of the country) as saying the following:

    The constitution should embody adequate safeguards for the protection of Muslim culture and for the protection and promotion of Muslim education, language, religion, personal laws and Muslim charitable institution and for their due share in the grants-in-aid given by the state and by local self-governing bodies.

    Which is strange because Jinnah argued for a rather secular Pakistan, one in which religion would fade into the background politically and whether one was Muslim or Hindu, one would just be Pakistani.

    Freedom of Speech from the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan:

    19. Freedom of speech, etc.

    Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, [commission of] or incitement to an offence.

    While religious freedom is well written into the Constitution, one later finds a Constitutional policy towards Islam:

    31.Islamic way of life.

    (1) Steps shall be taken to enable the Muslims of Pakistan, individually and collectively, to order their lives in accordance with the fundamental principles and basic concepts of Islam and to provide facilities whereby they may be enabled to understand the meaning of life according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah.

    (2) The state shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan, :

    (a) to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language and to secure correct and exact printing and publishing of the Holy Quran;

    (b) to promote unity and the observance of the Islamic moral standards; and

    (c ) to secure the proper organisation of zakat, [ushr,] auqaf and mosques.

    Then there are the “Islamic Provisions,” which are not supposed to apply to non-Muslims. Islam attempts to be tolerant of other faiths but in the end it seems to have a problem concerning true religious freedoms. And I think one must remember that Pakistan as a modern republic was forged in the conflict that occurred in 1946 during the split with Hindu India.

  4. I think ‘Maazi NCO’ should reflect seriously on this appalling situation before pushing for the Bahitler Bill.

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