Pakistan's PM rules out softening blasphemy laws

Pakistan's Prime Minister, Yousaf Gilani, said yesterday that his government had no plans to amend the country's controversial blasphemy laws, despite an earlier undertaking that the legislation would be reformed.

Addressing parliament, Mr Gilani said the policy of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not include a draft bill that would have altered the laws which impose a maximum penalty of death on offenders.

"Neither the government has moved a bill nor any committee has been formed to amend the said law as both the treasury and opposition benches are on the same page and are unanimous on this sensitive issue," he said.

Mr Gilani was speaking just a month after the Punjab governor, Salmaan Taseer, was assassinated in Islamabad because of his outspoken calls to reform the law.

Earlier, Mr Gilani told a meeting of parliamentarians that it was the PPP that had initially introduced blasphemy legislation and "therefore any amendment in this law would be against our party line".

The Prime Minister's comments were the latest in which he stressed the government's decision to back away from the issue, amid widespread protests from conservatives who have demanded the laws not be altered.

Twenty thousand supporters of fundamentalist parties rallied in the streets of Karachi last month in support of Pakistan's blasphemy laws as they escalated threats against liberal politicians who want to see them amended.

At the demonstrations the face of Mr Taseer's assassin, Malik Mumtaz Qadri, was prominent on placards held by supporters.

MP Sherry Rehman, a former information minister, was among those who led efforts to reform the laws and produced a draft bill to amend them. Ms Rehman is now fearful for her safety and keeping a low-profile in Karachi after public death threats were made against her.

She had drafted the bill against the backdrop of the case of Aasia Noreen, commonly known as Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death after being found guilty of insulting Islam and promoting her own faith, charges that she denied.

Mr Taseer was also a supporter of Ms Bibi, incurring the wrath of hardliners when he visited her in prison.