The Burden of Blasphemy: Bishop John Joseph’s Martyrdom and the Endless Persecution of Pakistani Christians (Part 5)

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Jihadis’ Reaction in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Dawn, May 13, 1998:

A division bench of the Lahore High Court, Multan Bench, will hear a writ petition seeking a probe into the death of Dr. John Joseph in Sahiwal.

The petitioner, Mr. Kunwar Intizar Muhammad Khan, who himself is a senior lawyer, claimed in his submission that Dr. Joseph had been assassinated by the Christians to intensify their old drive against the Blasphemy laws.

The petitioner prayed that the Sahiwal Police SP be asked to investigate the case on these lines because Dr. Joseph had launched an organized drive against Section 295-C and he had also visited Italy and Austria recently to win over the sympathies of other Christian missions in this regard.

Rejecting the suicide story, the petitioner demanded that Fr. Yaqub Farooq and Dr. Joseph’s driver be taken into custody for investigation.

US Criticised Over Blasphemy Law:

The United States on Thursday May 8, 1998 condemned Masih’s sentence and voiced its regret over Joseph’s death.

“We deplore and condemn the imposition of a sentence of death on an individual for the peaceful expression of his beliefs,” State Department spokesman James Foley said at a news briefing. “In the past, we have repeatedly called upon the government of Pakistan to repeal the blasphemy law, which contributes to a climate of religious intolerance. We take this opportunity to do so once again.”

Foley added: “We very much regret the needless death of Bishop Joseph.”

The US proposal to repeal the blasphemy law met severe criticism from religious quarters, which asked the Clinton administration not to poke its nose in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

Religious leaders and scholars termed the proposal a blatant intrusion into the country’s affairs. A majority of the religio-political parties, including those sharing power with Pakistan Muslim League (PML), warned the government of dire consequences if it paid heed to the US suggestion.

Talking to The News, Provincial Auqaf Minister Sahibzada Fazal Kareem opposed the proposal and asked the US government to stop meddling in Pakistan’s internal affairs. He said the law was a part of the constitution and there was no point in repealing it. Such intrusions from outside might lead to unrest in the country, he added.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad termed the bid an open intervention in the internal affairs of Pakistan. He said blasphemy was a sensitive issue and no Muslim could allow anybody to speak against the Prophet. Qazi advised the US government to refrain from tossing such ideas as a similar attempt during the previous Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government evoked strong reaction in the masses on May 27, 1995. If the rulers acted upon the US proposal, people would throw them out, he warned, demanding the government register a formal protest with the US in this regard.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Noorani) Secretary General K. M. Azhar said his party strongly opposed the American interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs. He said the law was introduced in accordance with the religious requirements of the country. The law could not be misused as courts were there to check such things, and especially the superior courts, with an independent status, were more apt to do the job as the executive or the parliament had no powers to affect their working.

JUP-Niazi leaders Maulana Abdus Sattar Niazi, Qari Abdul Hameed Qadri, Engineer Salimullah Khan, Pir Arif Hussain Shah, Haji Ghulam Sarwar Niazi and Mian Ehsan Ellahi also condemned the US suggestion.

They said the Muslims of Pakistan were ready to sacrifice everything to defend the blasphemy law. The leaders categorically stated that any attempt in this regard would be repulsed. Speaking from Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Namoos-e-Risalat Pakistan’s platform, they condemned the suggestion, saying the US had no right to interfere in Pakistan’s internal affairs.

They said the Muslims of Pakistan stood united on the issue, and any move in this direction would not be tolerated. They urged the government to take a strong position over the US intervention.

In an identical response, Tehreek-e-Jaferia Pakistan (TJP), one of the government’s allies, blasted the US for giving the proposal. The TJP leaders said the bid was aimed at creating unrest in Pakistan. TJP Punjab President Wajid Ali Nagavi said the US was an international terrorist that was deliberately poking into sensitive internal matters of Pakistan. He also warned the government of serious eventualities in case Article 295-C was changed or repealed.

Patron-in-Chief Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Mohammad Ajmal Khan said the people of Pakistan had already foiled similar attempts by the US during the PPP government, and any such move would meet the same fate in the future. He said America would not be permitted to exert its misplaced will on the people of Pakistan. “It is an internal issue, one that comes under the jurisdiction of Shariat. Blasphemers should be hanged, and there are no two opinions on that.” He said the clergy in Pakistan wished that similar punishment should be awarded to blasphemers of other prophets as well.

He urged the government to take serious notice of the US proposal, telling the Clinton administration not to indulge in the internal affairs of the country. He said it was a religious matter, and the government should take a strong and courageous stance over the issue.