ICC Note:
In a letter to the High Commissioner for Pakistan to the U.K., the Church of Scotland has called on the Pakistani government to repeal its blasphemy laws. The Church of Scotland rightly cited the fact that the laws are often abused to persecute religious minority communities as its main reason for repealing the blasphemy laws. The Church of Scotland also called on Pakistan to release Christian mother, Asia Bibi, who has been on death row since 2010 after being convicted of blasphemy. Will Pakistan listen to the Church of Scotland? Could enough international pressure lead Pakistan to reform?
12/12/2014 Pakistan (The Herald Scotland) – The Church of Scotland is calling on Pakistan to repeal its blasphemy law amid claims it is being widely abused.
The Government of Pakistan must overhaul the law which is being used to terrorize minority faith communities, according to Scotland’s national church.
The Rt. Rev John Chalmers, Moderator of the General Assembly, has expressed his shock at the continued attacks on Christians by people said to be using the blasphemy law as an excuse in a letter to the High Commissioner for Pakistan to the UK, Syed Ibne Abbas.
He said: “The misuse of the blasphemy law is disproportionately amongst non-Muslim minority faith communities and we raise this issue with the High Commissioner because of the pleas of our partner church in Pakistan.
“The latest outrage was the murder of a Christian couple, Shehzad and his wife Shama in Kot Radha Kishan near Kasur.
“The couple had three young children and Shama was reportedly expecting their fourth child.
“Along with many others around the world we in the Church of Scotland were deeply saddened when the High Court in Lahore dismissed Asia Bibi’s appeal against her conviction under the blasphemy law and upheld the death sentence.”
Mr. Chalmers continued: “The Church of Scotland urges the Government of Pakistan to release and pardon Asia Bibi and to ensure that she and her family are protected from those who would seek to take the law into their own hands.”
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