LAHORE – Blasphemy laws should not be amended and any such attempt would not be tolerated, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said on Monday.
He was talking to journalists after meeting Jamiat-e-Ulema Pakistan (JUP) President and Tehreek-e-Namos-e-Risalat Convener Sahibzada Dr Zubair Ahmed at his residence.
Shujaat said that the PML-Q would not let anybody to amend the blasphemy act, as a new pandora box would open that would not be controlled by anyone. He said that the PML-Q was raising a voice against any amendment in blasphemy laws in parliament and would continue the policy in the future. The PML-Q president said that that if anybody had reservations over the law then he should give proposals in this regard but the blasphemy law should not be amended.
Shujaat said that he believed God protected all such laws but it was the duty of every Muslim to resist any attempt of amending the blasphemy laws. Extending the PML-Q’s support to the December 31 shutter-down strike call and January 9 congregation of the JUP in Karachi, the PML-Q president said that his party would participate in them. Regarding political moves of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif,
Shujaat said that Nawaz was playing the role of a friendly opposition, as the PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were partners in both the federal and Punjab governments. To a question about forming government with the PPP in Punjab, the PML-Q president dispelled such impressions and said that although the PML-Q was in a position to topple the governments in Balochistan and even in Punjab, but the party would not disturb the system.
He said that the PML-Q would not extend support to any such move, as positive results could not emerge if any such initiative was taken.
Shujaat alleged that Nawaz quit the Muslim League, as the PML-N chief considered every political party as his rival and tried to create tensions even with Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). He said that Nawaz thought that all PML-N candidates would win elections but it was his misconception, as the situation had changed and people would cast vote after evaluating the candidates’ abilities and his party’s performance. Zubair thanked Shujaat for his support and said that the PML-N and the PPP were “daydreaming” that they would win the upcoming elections and overlooking the fact that a new force was emerging on the political front that would not let anybody implement enlightened moderation in an islamic republic.
Amendments in blasphemy law will not be tolerated
