Pakistani court blocks government drive to relax blasphemy laws

Dec 6, 2010, 7:37 GMT

Islamabad - A Pakistani court on Monday temporarily blocked government-proposed amendments to relax blasphemy laws, amid renewed protests from rights activists and religious minorities.

Islamabad has been trying pass a bill to ease the country's controversial, but seldom fully enforced, blasphemy laws, which allow the death penalty for derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed or Koran.

Judge Khwaja Mohammad Sharif on Monday ordered the bill to be frozen while the court assessed whether parliament has legislative authority over blasphemy laws.

Aziz Baig, a member of the public, had submitted a citizen's petition arguing that lawmakers did not have the constitutional right to amend laws relating to religion.

Rights organizations and religious minorities have stepped up efforts to convince the government to relax the blasphemy laws since last month when a court sentenced a Christian woman to death for making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed.

Asia Bibi, a mother of five, pleaded not guilty, arguing that she was wrongly accused of blasphemy after a brief scuffle with a group of Muslim women.

Pakistan has not executed anyone for blasphemy to date, but many Muslims and non-Muslims languish in prison for allegedly insulting the Prophet Mohammed or the Koran.

Bibi's case attracted international attention following a personal appeal from Pope Benedict XVI for her freedom.

The government is also considering a presidential pardon for her.

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