Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Pakistan: The Kansas of the Future?
"The judiciary appears to put religious concerns above the Constitution and basic fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, when judging blasphemy cases, say Asma Jahangir, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) chairperson. She said that religion was still a major basis for discrimination in Pakistan.
"Judicial rhetoric and vocabulary gradually changed between the 1960s and 1970s when religion was made more important than the Constitution and human rights, she said. An important turning point in judicial history was when the Ahmedis were declared non-Muslims in 1974. “Religion became a deciding factor in more judicial cases when religion-based legislation started in the 1970s,” she said. She said that the punishment for religious criticism was gradually increased and the judiciary started referring to Ummah verdicts in religion-based cases, she said. She said that “the most disgusting” laws were made during General Ziaul Haq’s regime. She added that it was during this regime that the FSC declared any violation of Section 295 C of the Pakistan penal Code (relating to blasphemy) as punishable by death."
From the Daily Times, a new voice for Pakistan.
"Judicial rhetoric and vocabulary gradually changed between the 1960s and 1970s when religion was made more important than the Constitution and human rights, she said. An important turning point in judicial history was when the Ahmedis were declared non-Muslims in 1974. “Religion became a deciding factor in more judicial cases when religion-based legislation started in the 1970s,” she said. She said that the punishment for religious criticism was gradually increased and the judiciary started referring to Ummah verdicts in religion-based cases, she said. She said that “the most disgusting” laws were made during General Ziaul Haq’s regime. She added that it was during this regime that the FSC declared any violation of Section 295 C of the Pakistan penal Code (relating to blasphemy) as punishable by death."
From the Daily Times, a new voice for Pakistan.
