- It’s time parliamentarians did their bit
A SC bench had acquitted Aasia Bibi, convicted by lower courts for blasphemy on false testimonies three months back. The decision was followed by three days of protests that became violent with the mobsters rejecting the decision and resorting to smashing and burning private and government property while the PTI administration continued to appease them. As a result of an agreement with the government the TLP went into appeal while the government undertook not to oppose it. It goes to the SC’s credit that withstanding threats extended to judges it corroborated the earlier decision of acquittal.
Aasia Bibi had to spend eight years in solitary confinement in the death row under the shadow of the hangman’s rope. This was a grave injustice that cannot be undone.
Assia Bibi is not the sole victim of those who have misused blasphemy law in pursuit of their heinous aims that include punishing those who profess other faiths or appropriate their property or extract revenge for some perceived wrong. According to an estimate over 1,300 people have been accused of blasphemy from 1967 to 2014. Quite a few among the victims were Muslims, Salman Taseer, killed by his own guard, being the most prominent.
As one pays tributes to the judges who overruled the injustice done by lower courts, one must underscore the need for comprehensive measures to stop the mischief being done in the name of religion. The first threat to the accused comes from mob frenzy. Five years back a young Christian couple was tortured and then burnt live after being falsely excused of blasphemy. There are instances of the accused killed in jail before any court sentence. The safety of the accused has therefore to be ensured. Registration of false cases needs to be discouraged. Unlike common FIRs blasphemy cases should be registered only by higher level police officials after initial enquiry. There should be deterrent punishment for false accusations.
All this requires legislation by Parliament. That lawmakers have failed to perform their duty for sheer lack of nerve brings discredit to Parliament. If three judges of the apex court can deliver the right verdict, why can’t parliamentarians do the necessary legislation?
