October 27, 2009
By Jim Stephens

ISLAMABAD – The Church of Pakistan has called on the government in Islamabad to repeal a "maliciously abused" blasphemy law and to increase accountability in the judicial system, saying these steps are necessary to defuse tensions simmering in the country.

"It is one of those laws which is not only abused and misused, but even the government and security forces feel threatened and do not have the desire to resolve a crisis when it emerges," said Bishop Samuel Azariah, moderator of the Church of Pakistan, an ecumenical church established in 1970 through a union of Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists and Presbyterians.

The law in contention imposes the death sentence on a person found desecrating Islam's holy book, the Quran, and the church says the law increases violence and intolerance against religious minorities.

The October 21 statement by the executive committee of the Pakistan church says that the administration of justice, particularly in the lower courts, "requires strict monitoring and accountability procedures, as they often succumb to outside influences."

"The testimony of just one Muslim is sufficient to bring charges against the alleged culprit who is then immediately put in jail, where he often remains for months or years pending trial," said a recent petition given to the U.N. Human Rights Council, coordinated by the London and Pakistan-based Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement.

"We feel that we have been marginalized socially and economically because of religious discrimination," Azariah told Ecumenical News International in an interview on October 24. "At times we feel a sense of insecurity as a religious minority."

Some Christians have acquired personal firearms for self-protection, the statement noted. While this practice could be neither encouraged nor supported under any circumstances, it demonstrates the "extreme tension under which communities are living," the church stated.

Signed by all the bishops of the Church of Pakistan, the statement said, "We finally challenge ourselves and our allies in approaching the militants/extremists groups and challenge them for the redeeming of this unfortunate situation by realizing that we are all inheritors of Abrahamic faiths and hold so much in common."

Azariah said the statement would be shared with government officials and political leaders, as well as with overseas partners and U.N. human rights bodies. He said he hoped the statement will raise awareness within the leadership of Pakistan about the effects of the blasphemy law and the situation of religious minorities.

The statement was released as leaders within the church met with representatives from partner churches and agencies abroad to discuss the situation in Pakistan and the church's future priorities.

Göran Gunner, a representative from the [Lutheran] Church of Sweden, said that the statement was an important step because it helped demonstrate the church's position within civil society.

"We as partners will do our best to forward this message in our settings ... and support your very strong stand on this issue," Gunner noted.

When asked how the statement might affect the church, Azariah responded, "I don't feel it is dangerous because what we are saying has already been said by many Muslims. We have to recognize that in order to get our rights as a community, that we need the support of moderate Muslims. We cannot get it on our own."

Azariah added, "Our only hope in Pakistan to survive is through dialogue. We cannot just live in isolation."

Ecumenical News International