LAHORE – Varied reaction has come from religious parties who were critical of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer for his stance on blasphemy laws. Spokesmen for Sunni Ittehad Council and Tahafz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Mahaz Nawaz Kharal and Zia ul Haq Naqshbandi spoke to Pakistan Today on the phone but they hesitated from commenting on the governor’s assassination, however a press release by TNRM citing its convener Sahibzada Abul Khair Zubair, said that Salmaan Taseer deserved what he got in the wrath of God for calling the blasphemy law “a black law”.
“God forgives all sins but not blasphemy. TNR will hold Tahafaz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat rally in Karachi on 9th of January according to its schedule. The government should ask Sherry Rehman to take back her recommendations to change the blasphemy law and should abolish the committee in this regard,” Zubair maintained.
Secretary General Jamaat-e-Islami Liaqat Baloch regretted the murder of Governor Punjab but at the same time he said Salmaan Taseer had shown disrespect for the feelings of the masses.
“Such attitudes promote extremism. Peoples of Pakistan are not practicing Muslims but they are not ready to compromise when it comes to the matter of desecration of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). PPP should handle this issue properly,” Baloch warned.
Pir Afzal Qadri,Ameer of Aalmi Tanzeem-e-Ahlesunnat, was of the view that Salmaan Taseer had crossed all bounds of decency and had not paid heed to his group’s warnings. The Jamaat-e-Islami’s Farid Piracha too called Taseer’s assassination ‘unfortunate’, but added that Taseer shouldn’t have taken the stance he did on Aasia and her alleged blasphemy.
Condemning the murder of Salmaan Taseer, Ameer Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith Senator Professor Sajid Mir said that the deceased was a controversial personality in various political and religious circles, but no one had the right to stand up on his own and take a life. Senator Mir demanded the president and the prime minister to announce that the government has no intention of changing the blasphemy law.
