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Church backs Pakistani charged with blasphemy

Church leaders have responded rapidly after Faisalabad police yesterday jailed an elderly Catholic man accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, reports FCNN.

Rehmat Masih, 73, was jailed June 20 after Sajid Hameed, a Muslim, accused him of blasphemy. The alleged incident occurred three months ago in Jhandewali village, home to 25 Catholic families, in Faisalabad Archdiocese.

After catechists and community elders met with officials at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul today, Vicar General Father Khalid Rashi Asi directed the justice and peace commission to assist in the accused's defense.

"It is a false allegation based on events months before," Father Asi told ucanews.com. "The case has its background in land disputes."

"Local elections were also held in the village three months ago with the accused and complainant backing opposite sides," Father Asi said.

A number of villagers are now receiving threats of blasphemy, he added.

Pakistan Church leaders have long called for the repeal of blasphemy laws which authorize the death penalty for insults to the Prophet Muhammad and life imprisonment for acts against the Qur'an.

Previous governments promised to review the controversial laws "but it is a long struggle" says Alwin Murad, executive secretary of the major religious superiors' justice and peace commission.

"They rearrange a few words but the real problem remains untouched," he said.

"Governments cannot afford to oppose hardline clerics. We need broad minded people in policy-making", he told ucanews.com.

He added that local bishops welcomed a recent resolution of European Union on religious freedom in Pakistan.

The resolution called on the Pakistani government to review blasphemy laws, that are "misused by extremist groups and those wishing to settle personal scores, and have led to an increase of violence against members of religious minorities

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TAGS: Pakistan blasphemy Sajid Hameed persecution anti-Christian violence religious freedom

[06/22/2010]

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