This is in reference to the article published by your newspaper on Monday 15 November 2010, titled Us and Them by Waqqas Mir. I totally agree with the writers views on the issue of blasphemy and xenophobia.
The laws of the land on blasphemy seem highly prejudiced and unjust. They do not conform to the laws of the same nature at the international level. They can be manipulated highly and they can be targeted at a person specifically. To add insult to the injury is the fact that they need no absolute evidence in order to indict a person of religious minorities.
Being a state that was achieved to experiment Islamic laws in their true sense, these laws and their application defy the basic principles of Islam. Forgiveness and tolerance are two of the most important principles of Islam but they do not seem to be applied where the case relates to the religious scriptures. This has to change if we are to move forward in the comity of the nations and claim a prominent spot among the modern welfare states.
NADEEM ALI
Lahore
