It’s very regretful to pass
unjust comments regarding Supreme Court(SC) Of Pakistan’s judgement about Asia
Bibi case without getting into the details of the matter.I being a true Muslim
can not bear the disrespect of Our Holy Prophet/an act of blasphemy but is it
right to give everyone the right to kill anyone by just on the basis of doubt of
blasphemy.
Asia Bibi was convicted in 2010 for allegedly insulting the Prophet Muhammad and
has been in solitary confinement for the past eight years.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, who gave the verdict, said Ms Bibi could walk free
from jail immediately if she was not wanted in connection with any other case.
Asia Bibi is a 47-year-old farm laborer and mother of five from the Punjab
Province.
Ms Bibi is in Adiala jail, in Rawalpindi.
Ms Bibi was involved in a row with other Muslim farm workers after they refused
to drink from a bucket of water she had touched because she was not Muslim.When
they demanded she convert to Islam, she refused, prompting a mob to later allege
that she had insulted the Prophet Muhammad.
At the time, Asia Bibi said the case was a matter of women who didn't like her
"taking revenge."
Under the Pakistani penal code, the offence of blasphemy is punishable by death
or life imprisonment.
In 1860 under British Raj law, it became a crime to disturb a religious
assembly, trespass on burial grounds, insult religious beliefs or intentionally
destroy or defile a place or an object of worship, punishable by up to 10 years
in jail.
During the 1980s as Islamic influence in Pakistan grew, the law was expanded to
include making derogatory remarks against Islamic personages an offence.
Since 1987, a total of 633 Muslims, 494 Ahmedis, 187 Christians and 21 Hindus
have been accused under various clauses of the blasphemy law, according to the
National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP).
Other Pakistani politicians have made efforts to amend the blasphemy laws. In
2010, Sherry Reman of the Pakistan's People's Party (PPP) introduced a private
bill with the intention of changing procedures of religious offences so that
cases would be heard directly by the higher courts.
The bill was withdrawn in 2011 following pressure from religious forces and some
political opposition groups.
Whilst public support for Pakistan's blasphemy laws is strong, elsewhere the
laws have attracted intense criticism.
Prior to the verdict, Islamist movement Tehreek-eLabbaik had threatened to take
to the streets in protest if Ms Bibi was released.
Protests also broke out in Islamabad and Lahore soon after the ruling was
announced.
This is not the first instance in which Ms Bibi's case has attracted mass
controversy.
In 2009, politician Salman Taseer was shot dead by his own bodyguard, Mumtaz
Qadri, after he spoke out in support of Ms Bibi openly. Although Qadri was
executed after he turned himself into the police, many hardline Muslims held him
as a martyr.Shahbaz Bhatti was also murdered regarding Asia Bibi’s case.
Accusations of blasphemy have often led to mob violence against Christians by
militant Islamists.
I have some questions to ask from all the commentators which follow as:
1-Who has himself investigated the issue before passing any comment?
2-Who has known Asia Bibi personally?
3-How many have you read the SC 56 paged Judgement?
4-What Has Holy Prophet(PBUH) said about a piece of news before conveying to
someone other?
5-How Many have personally verified the case & it’s details?
6-Who has given right to publicly abuse anyone?
7-How many of you know the fundamental rights of 1973 Constitution for a
citizen?
8-Why is everyone trying to be a judge now?
9-Why are we always be exploited by certain extremist religious groups?
10-Why are we losing our patience?
11-If you are not happy with a certain person then why are you hurting others by
vandalism & blocking roads?
12-Do you know which article of constitution deals with blasphemy?
13-Why do you want to kill Chief Justice,Army Chief & PM of Pakistan,would their
deaths will solve the matter?
14-Who has given you the license to kill anyone?
I have some other questions too but are by causing miseries to our fellow beings
we will be satisfied? If u don’t like SC judgement then you should go for
re-appeal in SC rather than causing harm to humanity.
The first 11 pages of the main 34-page judgment, penned by Chief Justice Nisar,
read like a tutorial: what constitutes blasphemy; why it ought to be punished
with death; why Pakistan incorporated laws to punish blasphemy; and how Pakistan
inspired the 2009 United Nations resolution that declared defamation of religion
as a violation of human rights.
It quotes copiously from the Quran and the Prophet's tradition to establish
sanctity. But it then goes on to discuss "another aspect of the matter", which
is that "sometimes, to fulfil nefarious designs, the law is misused by
individuals levelling false allegations of blasphemy".
It says 62 people have been killed for blasphemy since 1990 "even before their
trial could be conducted in accordance with the law", and mentions the lynching
of Mashal Khan at Mardan University as the latest example.
The order also underlines the Prophet's attitude towards other religions.
In a separate 21-page note penned by Justice Khosa, he quotes from what is known
as St Katherine's Covenant to establish how the Prophet (PBUH) guaranteed
protection to Christians in the Islamic state.
Do you know what was the biggest quality of Our Prophet Muhammad(SAW) that he
used to forgive even his worst enemies.We have to follow the footsteps of Our
Prophet (PBUH).I am not saying that Asia Bibi is guilty or not but it’s Court’s
& state’s duty to decide it.I respect everyone’s emotions & if someone is hurt
so I am sorry for that but we have to think critically and at the end I mention
a Hadith Of Holy Prophet (PBUH):
“Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their
rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from
them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the
person on the Day Of Judgement.”(Abu Dawud)
Dr.Zeeshan Khan is a medical doctor by profession ,Writer,a content writer,Human
rights defender,certified trainer and Poet.He is a motivational speaker,Cultural-cum-Political
Analyst and columnist and has written for a number of English and Urdu dailies
like Dawn,Express Tribune,The Nation,The Business,The Educationist and Roznama
Pakistan etc.He is also Alumni of LUMS and Winner of all Pakistan Ubqari story
Writing Competition.
He is Doctor at CMH Hospital.
Twitter: @DrZeeshanKhanA1